The Human Prime
by puppydoglove678
Summary: Artemis and her twin never saw eye to eye most of the time, but when the Cybertronian world becomes apart of their lives they are turned into sworn enemies and becomes apart of a war they could never dream of. Artemis must learn from her mentor deep inside her subconcious, Primus, and from the fellow members of team Prime in order to take down not only her sister, but Megatron.
1. Ch 1: Cybertronian Contact

The Human Prime

Chapter 1: Cybertronian Contact

Mira didn't know much, but she did know this. Going towards an explosion from an object falling from the sky was probably a very bad idea. The twin youths ran towards it anyways. Artemis, her older sister by five seconds, was up ahead. She was much more fit than her twin Mira. It said that in their mother's womb twins usually do not last, vanishing twin syndrome. However, this was not the case. Artemis, the bully of the womb as it were, had begun to absorb her little sister very early on, but never finished the job. This made her a much stronger child physically in health and in strength, but made Mira very weak. Mira wasn't supposed to make it, but as luck would have it she did. Though, she was plagued with the worst immune system one could ask for and an even worse muscular strength. Mira always had to work harder to become as strong as Artemis was, but was catching up fast by pure determination and slight resentment.

Artemis, however, never considered her the stronger of the two of them or flaunted the fact that in reality she was. No, in fact she had total remorse toward her sister and felt fairly guilty. This guilt fueled her kindness and developed her into the responsible one. Taking care of her younger sister to make up for the trouble she had caused her without even realizing it.

Artemis waited for her sister to catch up then they both descended into the crater together. Mira was the first to see the two pods emerge from the smoke's cover. She rushed to them and examined their markings.

"Maybe their alien eggs or weapons that can blow us all up till were dust!" Mira favored the purple and black pod that was bound by chains.

"Or sacred capsule's containing information of their civilization." It was clear to both that it was something alien.

"What's a civilization?" Mira raised her eyebrow at her sister. Though they were twins, identical twins, they shared rather polar beliefs and interests. Mira believed in respect through fear and power and resulted to violence for the simplest of things. Artemis believed in compassion and knowledge, falling back on logic and the benefit of the doubt to solve her issues. One could consider the six year olds yin and yang.

"I think it is a big group of things living together." Artemis tried to recall the word she had learned just that day, but in honesty could not remember what it exactly meant.

"I said they could be alien eggs already." Mira returned to the pod and found a small slit the looked similar to a key hole, but shaped oddly. "Hey, there's a lock on it."

"Don't touch it Mira! We don't know what it could do." Artemis, even though the stronger of the two, was always the extra cautious one in everything they did. After all, someone had to be.

"Come on Artemis. Don't be a scaredy cat. Just take charge for once." Mira placed a hand over the key hole and felt something pulsing inside. It was like a little heartbeat. She smiled and felt a sense of power rush over her with each pulse. It was intoxicating and she wanted it for herself.

"Let's go home. It's getting dark and at least we know where and what it is. We can come back tomorrow morning and try and pry it open." Knowing that she wouldn't get her sister away from it if she suggested never coming back, Artemis met her sister half way.

"Alright, fine." Mira stood up and turned around. When Artemis turned her back to climb up the side of the crater, she looked back at the pod then followed.

**THAT NIGHT**

Mira snuck out of their bedroom window after her parents and sister were both asleep. She dare not wake up Artemis for she would just suggest otherwise of her plan. She climbed down the roof by jumping onto her father's car, knowing full well that she could use the key she hid in the rose bush to sneak back into the house later.

Mira turned to look at her success. Their house, more like a mansion, was modern looking, almost futuristic since most of the rooms were made with glass wall or white glossy titanium. Their parents were rich from black gold, oil. They rode on their discovery and investments like it was work horse and never gave up the lifestyle. She hated them. They preferred Artemis over her, even if they never admitted it. She was the obvious heir to the family fortune.

Despite the bad taste of resentment in her mouth, she turned toward their shed and lifted a screw driver and a hammer from it then headed towards the crater. Mira had forgotten to bring water with her, something that her weak body needed for even a short distance like this one due to her weak body. She pushed forward anyways, letting her determination fuel her crying muscles instead.

Approaching the pods again, she skidded down the crater and placed her hands on her favorite. It was still pulsing and still empowered her lust for strength. She placed the end of the screw driver into the key hole then proceeded to hammer away. Sometimes it would buzz angrily at her, suggesting it were alive when she would miss the screw driver and hit the pod, but then would continue to pulse.

The screw driver was almost all the way in the hole by the time it finally opened. Mira smirked and slipped her fingers around the top of the pod and lifted it as far open as the chains would allow. Inside was a black and purple plate. It was shaped oddly, looking like an art project meant to mimic a dagger's shape. She picked up the plate and turned it in her gaze. It was metal and something foreign, something that pulsed as if it were alive, as if it had spark to it.

In a second, the plate glowed and she dropped it. It stopped glowing instantly. She didn't drop it because it was glowing, but because she heard a voice. A dark, sinister voice that called to her inner hatred towards her family. Mira grazed her fingers on the surface of the plate and found it whispering to her again.

"Born from the rage of Unicron." She whispered back the words to the plate. She wondered why the alien artifact was talking about a mystical horned horse, but didn't doubt it. She had no reason to; it was granting her the power she so much wanted. She realized that all she had to do was allow it to become one with her and she could have it all. Mira gripped the plate hard enough to turn her knuckles white. The plate indeed absorbed into her skin and began forming markings onto her skin. With the markings came an overwhelming sense of power that engulfed her. She loved the whole sensation and found that more whispers were echoing in her head.

"So this is supposed to be an anti-matrix. Or at least, a taste of what it could have been." Her voice sounded darker and more enforced. It pleased her greatly. Even though she didn't know what the matrix was or the half of the things the voice told her, she knew she would learn them soon. "The Spark of Unicron? Spark?" She looked at her right arm; the markings had stained it, forming the complex shape of the dagger looking plate that had become more complex with absorption. She smirked at raised her hands up to the heavens.

Mira found she was talking to herself and dropped her hand. She would have to learn more about the visitors and the nature of them the voice was speaking of later. Right now, she wanted to take care of loose ends. She wanted to step out of the light of being a six year old child, and into the darkness of being an orphan.

**Back at the House**

Artemis awoke to a rising heat in the room. Her eyes shot open finding her door in flames. She rose from her bed and could feel heat from the floor below. The house was completely in flames. She could hear words and blasts exchanged from outside, but she didn't have time to think. Artemis escaped through the window and jumped onto her father's truck.

"Where's Mira?" She looked around and found the shed open. "You snuck out!" Artemis was furious, but there was no sense in yelling at thin air. She had to find Mira. Knowing to well what her sister loved to do, she started heading towards the crater.

Half way to the crater, she found footprints leading back to the house, newly made. She followed them figuring her sister already headed back, but then almost ran into her. Mira was standing in front of her holding a burnt match in one hand and a razor blade in the other.

"Mira, what are you doing?" Artemis was confused, her sister had some anger issues, but she never was crazy. She saw markings that led up her arm into her shirt's sleeve and also a small acute triangle on the side of her eye, all dark purple. "You touched that pod didn't you?"

"Touched it, opened it, and absorbed its contents. Now, I feel absolutely fantastic!" Mira tossed the match on the ground and advanced toward her with the blade.

"What did you do?" Artemis kept stepping back, afraid of her sister for the first time.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm burning away the pain. The memories, the favoritism, the old me, turning it all to ashes." Mira raised the blade toward Artemis making her quiver. "Only one more thing to take care of."

"The pod obviously had a disease that infected your mind Mira; if you put down the knife we can get Mom and Dad to hire someone to help you. Just calm down and we can figure this out." Artemis tripped over a large stone and struggled to get back to her feet as Mira took a large stop forward.

"Don't you get it Sis? Mom and Dad are dead and in a second, SO WILL YOU!" Mira stabbed Artemis in the chest and dragged the blade across until there was a large gash. She watched her sister gasp and hold the wound, her fingers easily staining with her own blood. She looked at her own hands and found her sisters blood staining them too, but was surprised to feel nothing but pure satisfaction. Mira walked away happily, convinced she was now an orphan and an only child and now she could pursue the alien life forms in which the voice had whispered so much about.

Artemis' half lidded eyes felt heavy. She felt as if she were going to die. No, she knew she was going to die. Her ears thought they heard humming, a fire truck. Thank goodness, maybe they could get her parents, but she knew they were dead too.

A flash of white made her think she was finally dying and was experiencing the recalling of her short life, but there was no memory. Only a flash then utter darkness.

**5 days later**

Artemis opened her eyes weakly. She felt that her eyes hadn't been used in such a long time that when she opened them, they ached and her sight was blurry. She heard someone gasp and a crash of tools hit the ground. So sore and confused, she raised herself slowly. She felt her chest and found no wound. Looking at it, she found that there wasn't even a scar. Was it all a dream? She looked around and found she wasn't in the woods or at home. It was room with metal cabinets and it reeked of rotting flesh, of death. She looked at a man, his face ghostly pale holding a surgical knife.

"Y-you were dead! You had no pulse or heartbeat for five days! How could you be alive?" At that moment he fainted and joined the other surgical tools on the ground.

"Five days?" She raised her hands and found that her skin did look pale, but color was slowly returning to them. She also found something else, markings. Lightish blue ones on her left arm that focused solely under her for arm instead of continuing up her arm like what she remembered from her sister. She got to her feet and looking into the mirror. There was also a symbol under her eye. It was hard to describe. It looked like a line that followed the curve of her eye and then spiked down at the end. It reminded her of the symbols on the pods and so did the markings on her arm. "I better get out of this morgue."

Artemis found herself feeling more energetic than before, as if she could do anything. She took a lab coat from the hook near the door before leaving then continued down the hall. Before she even knew it, she felt her head obtain a splitting headache. She stopped and gripped her head with one hand and the wall with the other. Her eyes turn blue as she began recalling something. The image was blurry, but she could see robots, or that's what she thought they were, fighting each other. She heard the name Primus being said as the fourteen bots took on a large one that was dark and had purple and black coloring.

"What is happening to me?" She began seeing only an angelic looking bot, his blue eyes etching into her brain. "You're Primus. Aren't you?" She didn't expect the image in her head to answer her.

"Yes." Primus answered, as the image began to become clearer. She believed she was having a day dream and in a sense she was. It was Primus' way of communicating with her, as she would soon find out. Through memories of his planet and daydreams, he could tell what she needed to know. "A great task is ahead of you."

"Task? I'm only six, what can I do?" She found this figure to be almost godlike, maybe perhaps, to his planet's people, this was god.

"In the future, you must help that last of my children. They have become diverse and I'm afraid that in the end, only one group will be left." His large metal hand extended toward her to get on. "I need you to face an evil that has spawned on your planet and fight against it like I had years ago."

"An evil." She remembered her sister, the symbols, the fighting that had revolved around him and the evil looking robot.

"Yes, I had taken care of Unicron years ago, but it seems that his evil has spread into a new form that I'm afraid only you can fight."

"My sister. Unicron, he leaked into my sister."

"It would seem so, but I will help you learn all about our planet. I will help you develop your skills. Your strength and wisdom."

"But you had thirteen others to help you! How am I supposed to take her on all by myself?"

"In the future, you will meet my children that have not strayed from my teachings. The Autobots, true Cybertronians. They will help you, but your sister will also develop allies. The Decepticons. In the end it will be your battle alone." Artemis was about to say something, but he stopped her. "You will be fine."

"Primus. Will you teach me more about you? More about your planet and its people. I am so confused. I feel so lost and I'm not sure where to start."

"I will teach you everything. At night, your dreams will be filled with my words and stories. In waking, I will show you memories, images of Cybertron. Images of its birth, thriving, and of course, its end. Don't worry human. You will learn and everything will make sense in time."

**Twelve years later**

Miko strummed on her guitar, making the blaring music echo off the walls of the abandoned missile silo. Bulkhead hummed in deep, low tones with every dramatic stroke of the strings. Ratchet clung to the sides of his head, giving an expression of pain.

"Uggg! Why are you even here on a Monday?" He didn't approve of the early morning racket being so used to blissful silence during the week.

"Spring Vacation Doc Bot." Miko stopped playing long enough to explain. "Schools out till Wednesdays so you get to see us for five days straight. Oh!" She turned to Bulkhead, throwing her hands in the air and then drew them close to her. "We should have a slumber party!"

"For Primus sake, Can I get some silence for a few Nano-cycles so I can get some work done?" Ratchet left to wonder the back rooms. Convinced he wouldn't get any work done at the computer. Optimus stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. At that moment, Arcee and Jack came screeching in followed by Bumblebee and Rafael. Ratchet threw his arms up then went to the back. At this point, Optimus didn't blame him.

"Morning Science Fiction Club." Jack joked while removed his helmet. Raf got out of the muscle car and ran up to Optimus.

"Good Morning Optimus." He looked up at the towering Autobot who smiled at the young human warmly.

"Good Morning Rafael." Optimus enjoyed the children's company. He found that it gave his Autobots the opportunity to learn more of earth, no matter if the information was helpful or not.

"That was great Arcee; I think you kicked up some real dust with that ride." Jack walked over to the amp and set down his helmet. Bumblebee buzzed loudly at Raf.

"You sure about that Bumblebee?" Raf smiled and hustled up the steps toward the TV. "Well, let's see." He took the controller and was ready to play him. Miko was ready to start playing again, but Ratchet returned and glared at her. She dropped her arms and decided she'd practice later. Jack sat down next to Raf and watched the match.

"Raf! Jack!" She called to them in which only Jack turned from watching the screen. "Sleep over till school starts!"

"Here?" Raf said in between smashing buttons, attempting to get ahead of Bumblebee's virtual car.

"Duh!" Miko crossed her arms.

"I don't know, what am I supposed to tell my mom?" He lowered the controller onto the table and looked over at her.

"I don't know tell her that you're staying at Jack's house." She shrugged and saw Jack stand up.

"You know my mom wouldn't let us do that." Jack was right of course. His mom, June, was very up tight.

"Who said we had to tell her?"

"Optimus." Ratchet called him over, in which Optimus stepped behind him.

"What is it?" He asked though he could see blinking dot on the screen.

"Energon in transit." Ratchet replied, but Optimus had already turned to round up his soldiers.

"Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, let's roll out." The Autobots shot into action and gathered around Optimus as Ratchet activated the ground bridge. Within moments, the Autobots were gone. Ratchet sighed heavily and turned to find Raf and Jack starring up at him. He knew what that look meant.

"She followed them. Didn't she?" He saw both of the boys nod and he let out another deep sigh. He went to make contact with Optimus' com-link. "Optimus, You've been followed."

**At Library in Jasper, Nevada**

Artemis placed her latest read back on the shelf. She would have been working, helping people find their material and such, but she found herself overtaken with the most natural instinct in her body, her need to learn. Soon her boss, an old woman named Minnie, informed her that she had to go on shelving duty. That was the most tolerant of all the jobs she had as a librarian for it meant she would be close to her pages.

She walked down with her cart filled with returned books and couldn't help, but feel out of place among those who had wondered the isles. The library wasn't used for solely knowledge seeking anymore; instead it was used for things more useless like "projects" and "presentations." Being an eighteen year old who had never went to school in her life, she found herself smarter than most of the people who walk into the library. Though, she couldn't take all of the credit.

Primus had taught her much about Cybertron, but he also taught her much in technology. In learning about technology, she learned things that could be used on her own planet. Mathematics, Science, metal work, of course engineering and plenty more, in which she used whenever she had enough money to get materials. What she didn't learn from Primus, she learned from reading books.

"Artemis!" She heard a familiar voice which made her smile as she placed yet another book on the shelf.

"Hello, Sam." Artemis felt a long thin arm wrap around her neck and hang on her side.

"We're going to the science fair at the school today? Right, right?" Samantha was an odd one. They met in the streets, under a highway over pass. She was an orphan of five; Artemis an orphan of seven by that time, so Artemis became the leader of their two girl group and made sure she was right and fine. She always made sure Samantha was fed before herself, had warm clothes, and a safe place to sleep. Even, when they turned age eight and six, began to make sure she got an education by reading her books from the library. I guess you could say that's how she became the librarian.

Samantha found herself very interested in computers. Though she never would be able to save enough money to get her own, she learned all she could on how computers were made and maintained. Before long her knowledge of them extended to media. She loved working with video cameras and microphones. Artemis swore is she ever got enough money, she'd get her a spy kit and she could play with that sort of stuff all she wanted.

"Of course, after I'm done working we'll go." Artemis reassured her. She remembered when Samantha and she joined another group of children who were too good for an orphanage. It was a large group and for the longest time they had a warm, comfortable place to rest (inside an old apartment building that had been meant for demolition for years but never got around too), but soon they had to part ways from them too. Now, they were alone living in an airplane hangar in the canyons outside Jasper.

"You are done." Samantha pointed to the cart. Artemis didn't even realize it, but she had placed the last book on the shelf already. The whole time she was recalling her life, she had been placing books on the shelves where they belong.

"Oh, then I guess we'll go now." She began pulling the cart back to the front desk, but Sam stopped her.

"I'll meet you at the usual. I have to pick up some food, yum food! Bye!" Samantha ran out the library rather fast. Poor Minnie didn't even get a chance to yell at her for being so loud before she ran out the door. The usual place, the over pass where they met. It wasn't too far from the library and it would be quick to get too. Now Samantha could spend hours stuffing her face, burning there money on fast food. Money in which they had so little of, but Artemis didn't mind. Rather she is full and happy then starved and miserable.

Artemis took a book from the shelf that read something about machine artificial intelligence. She didn't really pay attention to it, not even when she checked it out on her way out the door. She was worried about the common things on her mind. One that was less obvious. Primus and the memories, she hadn't had any for more than five years. She wondered if it was just that he had nothing less to teach her, but then she felt what she learned was so little. No, it must be a greater purpose. There was a moment in time that he was waiting for, to continue showing her the memories of Cybertron. It must be.

Her nose buried in a book, she heard cars pass by as she headed toward the over pass. Then she heard silence, which was rather unusual. She raised her head from her book and found that all the cars had been rerouted. Why would they reroute the cars if the road isn't damaged? Artemis had a feeling that this was important for her to witness. She slipped her book into her ragged book bag then ran as fast as she could till she could see the over pass.

The first thing she could sense was the loud boom of blaster fire and then the shriek of metal slamming against metal. She skidded to the edge where she could look down under the overpass. There they were, Cybertronians. She could name some of them, but she knew the sides. Decepticons were almost under the bridge, being pushed back the Autobots. Then she noticed something else, one of the Decepticons was holding a young girl in their long claws.

"They won't be able to do anything if they keep holding a hostage." Artemis looked around to see if there was anything she could do. She thought she would feel more prepared. Her life was designed around this exact encounter. She ran onto the bridge and look down at the Decepticons. She was right above the one who was holding the girl hostage. Artemis reached into her pack and took out a gauntlet.

The gauntlet was something Primus had taught her how to make. It was to make up for the fact that she was of flesh and blood rather than Energon and metal. It would allow her to defend herself if any Decepticon's crossed her path. She slipped it on, the metal joints of the fingers were a bit rusty and were hard to flex, but she managed. The gauntlet was designed to respond to certain hand gestures. Waving her arm to the side would release the thick one foot blade that aligned perfectly with her back hand while gripping her hand into a fist activated the blaster, all running off of the energy in her left arm that produced the markings.

Artemis stood up onto the edge of the bridge right over the Decepticon's head. She couldn't believe she was going to do this.

**Autobot Viewpoint**

Optimus told his Autobots to hold their ground. After finding out Miko had deliberately followed them into this dangerous situation, he was determined to find a way to get her back. So far, all they could do was follow that the Decepticon's said. They "dropped" their weapons, but they kept advancing towards them as the Decepticon's continued to back up.

"Release the Human child!" Optimus called out to them angrily. It was one thing to put his Autobots in danger with their risky actions, but to put one of the human children in danger.

"You stay back Autobots! Stay back or I'll-" They stepped a half a step back as a gesture they might run. Bumblebee buzzed at Optimus which cause him to look up.

"What's that?" Bulkhead was also looking up above the Decepticon's heads at a shadow standing in front of the sun. The figure jumped from its position on the bridge above the cons and dropped down towards the arm holding Miko. The next thing that happened came as a shock to everyone, besides Optimus of course. A blade on a gauntlet the figure was wearing jabbed itself into the Decepticon's for arm causing him to drop Miko then the figure dropped down to the ground itself and helped Miko up her feet to run.

Optimus brought his Autobots back from their daze and began shooting at the Decepticons. They immediately retreated believing it was no longer worth the reason they came. Miko rubbed her butt and tried to focus, but the sudden urge of randomness consumed her.

"Oh my god that was so awesome! You were like-like a super hero!" Miko got closer to the figure to get a better look and found that her hero was very ragged. The hoodie it wore was torn up in several places and the jeans were old looking and showed signs of wear. Even the hood that kept the figure's face from being seen right away was torn and not very good at keeping her identity a secret. "Are you a super hero?"

"Uh-" The voice belonged to a female, Miko was sure of it. She came closer to the girl, but she stepped back instinctively. Miko looked over at Bulkhead and pointed at the girl.

"Did you see that Bulkhead!" She waved her bot down who nodded and began to laugh in a booming, but joyful, tone.

"Totally, how'd you pull that off?" He began to walk closer to the two human's, but then the girl, the hero, began stepping back rapidly.

"Hey wait, he's a good guy." Miko turned back to the girl and had her hands up, but the girl was already making a run for it. She went to chase her down, but stopped when she saw Knockout, the Decepticon's so called scientist, come out from his hiding spot and scoop the girl up in his claws.

**Artemis Viewpoint**

Artemis couldn't believe that she got caught in this situation. All those teachings with Primus and she already got caught in a Decepticon trap. It was obvious that she needed more experience in the field. She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but with his claws tightly around her leg making it difficult to get a good shot on him. She could hear a voice that seemed so familiar calling her name. Artemis looked around and found Samantha starring at her from up on the hill.

"Artemis!" She called out and came skidding down the cement.

"No, no! Sam! Stay where you are! Don't come down here!" Artemis didn't want to have to worry about Sam. The Decepticon gipped her in his hand and transformed into a red car. She struggled in the seatbelt trying to get out. "Just great, this is just how I wanted to start my destiny." All of sudden a Taser like prong came out from the glove box and zapped her right between her eyes, then everything went black.

**Autobot Viewpoint**

Arcee went charging at Knockout first, trying to get him before he went into the ground bridge, but it was too late. He zoomed into the portal and it disappeared before she could get him. She punched the ground furiously then turned to find another human jumping from the ledge leading into the under pass and stumbling towards her. Something told her she would have a lot of explaining to do.

"A-A-Artemis." She frowned at the empty space where a portal once been. Miko looked sadly at the girl knowing that this was mostly her fault. Bumblebee buzzed sadly and looked at Optimus. His expression was serious, as always, but Arcee found his head was already forming a plan.

"Arcee." Optimus addressed her in which she shot up straight. "Bring the new human with us. We can't risk allowing the Decepticons go after her as well." He raised his arm to the side of his head. "Ratchet, we need a bridge. Lock onto my coordinates." Miko put her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I'm Miko." She said lamely and guiltily.

"I'm Samantha." Samantha said realizing that she would be getting to know the group of unbelievable circumstances very well.


	2. Ch 2: Aboard the Nemesis

The Human Prime

Chapter 2: Aboard _The Nemesis_

Artemis felt her muscles ache and heard muttering around her. She attempted to open her eyes but found that her sight was blurred and stale. She must have been out for a while. Looking up, she found chains tying both of her arms together keeping her suspended from the ground. The muttering between two bots became three as she finally managed to open her eyes and see the figures.

"It is very odd. She is definitely a human, but I've detected traces of Energon in her left arm. It's like nothing I've ever encountered." The red bot in which she couldn't recall his name from the memories she had gotten from Cybertron.

"That explains a lot." A dark blue one, rather large, stated blankly. It occurred to her that he wasn't very bright.

"Oh does it Breakdown? Tell me, how do you suppose she obtained Energon in her arm?" The metallic one that towered over them both asked. Now, she knew this one very well and had seen him multiple times in her memories. He turned towards her and realized that she was awake. He walked towards her until his face was right into hers. "Do you know who I am?"

"Megatron." Artemis muttered weakly as she tried to keep her eyes open in order to convey determination.

"Pretty smart for a fleshling. Knockout, I want a full diagnostic of this human. I want to know what makes her so special. Dismantle her if you have to." He smirked then turned and left. Knockout bowed his head slightly.

"As you wish, lord Megatron." Knockout turned to Breakdown and gave a heavy sigh. "And I was hoping to buff up my paint job today. There goes that idea." It was obvious that the red bot cared a lot about his appearance.

"I better go and get some work done. You have this covered right?" Breakdown got closer to the door while waiting for his friends answer.

"Please, don't insult me. It's only a human." Knockout watched Breakdown walk out then turned to his computer. Artemis looked up and down the red bot and was quite impressed. He was pretty good looking. The paint design and rims, no wonder he took pride in his appearance.

"Nice paint job." She mumbled the last thing she needed was to upset him. Nothing wrong with buttering up a doctor who might be cutting you open in a drop of a hat.

"Uh, thanks?" The red bot said over his shoulder and then went back to his work.

"I could just tell you what is up with the Energon and you won't have to cut me open." She suggested seeming that he wouldn't want to stain his interior with human flesh.

"True, but what fun would that be. And what if you lied? Megatron would peel my paint for that." He transformed his arm into a saw and brought it close to her.

"True, but if I didn't lie you would have tarnished your metal for nothing." She attempted to by herself time. "If I helped the Autobots, I mustn't be a good liar anyways."

"Hmm." Knockout brought his other hand to his chin then after a long agonizing pause, reverted his other hand back. "Alright, let's see where this takes us." He folded his arms and leaned against the control panel. "Tell me."

"Well, it began when I was about five years old." Artemis began with a sigh of relief.

**At the Autobot Base**

Sam clung to Miko as they exited the green car. The base was rather large. Oddly enough, it looked as if it were built for humans before the large robots had inherited it. Miko waved two other humans. Two boys, one around her own age and the other smaller and obviously younger.

"Sam, this is Raf and Jack." Miko extended her hand towards them as an introducing gesture.

"Welcome to the robot fight club." Jack joked which made Sam smile. The boy was rather attractive to her, but the rather dire situation had kept her from flirting.

"Hi." Raf said rather shyly, she thought of him as rather cute like a teddy bear. Sam focused her attention of the large robots. She felt stupid, not because she was new, but because Artemis used to tell her about robots just like these ones and she would just laugh at her. Now, Artemis was in terrible danger and she needed their help to get her back.

"Excuse me." Sam approached the largest of the bots rather shyly who was talking to a white and red bot who looked similar to an ambulance. "I know you are going to do your best to save my friend, but I feel you should tell me some things first and I should tell you some things too."

"Is that so?" The red and white bot said sarcastically. He seemed rather annoyed that there was yet another human child in his base.

"First of all, who are you?" Sam asked trying not to tick off the robots too much.

"We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron. Also known as, Autobots." The larger bot answered as if he had explained it millions of times.

"Uh-huh." She thought of herself more stupid for asking a question that she knew she wouldn't understand the answer. "Do you all have names?"

"I am Optimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots." He gestured to the white and red bot next to him. "This is Ratchet, our physician and scientist." He looked over at the larger green bot and the smaller blue ones. "This is Bulkhead and Arcee, my warriors." He finally looked at the yellow and black bot. "And Bumblebee, my scout."

"Optimus…I have to tell you, this isn't my first time hearing that name." Sam admitted and looked down. She remembered the first time she heard it was from Artemis, of course. Artemis had explained in great detail of a robot that would fight for the right and protection of his planet. "Artemis told me all about you."

"The human girl who was captured?" Optimus asked redundantly, he already figured that was the case.

"Yes. She's not like other human girls. As I have realized from our time together. She…knows things. Things that if she told any other human, they would think she were crazy. Even I, for the longest time, believed her a little off her hinges that is, until I met you all. She knows about your planet and everything there is TO KNOW about your planet. It's history, its Biology, its secrets, etc." She stopped realizing that perhaps they got the message. "I don't know why, but she does. And if these things that captured her decide to cut her open, I don't know if it would be in your best interest." The Autobots stood in silence for a long time. Finally Arcee responded to her speech.

"That would explain that blow to the Decepticon." Referring to the moment when Artemis took on the Decepticon to free Miko.

"It would also explain why the Decepticons would take a human child hostage at all." Ratchet clarified.

"However troubling this news may be, our top priority is to retrieve Artemis." Optimus felt his teams eyes on him once again, some of them slightly nodding.

"But Optimus." Ratchet protested. "How are we supposed to save her if she's aboard the Decepticon warship? We don't even require the means of tracking the vessel."

"Do you have a computer?" Sam smiled confidently.

"I have a laptop." Raf held up his laptop hoping it would help. Sam took it then climbed her way up to the control panel and plugged it in.

"Sometimes Artemis would disappear with a drop of a hat. So we developed a tracking system in her equipment so I could find her if I needed her." She plugged in a flash drive of hers and loaded its contents.

"Impossible. _The Nemesis_ has a very powerful cloaking system. There's no possible way you'll be able to get the signal to penetrate it." Ratchet said right as a beeping on the screen showed a set of coordinates.

"You don't think Artemis thought of that? Insulting." Sam giggled which made Ratchet feel a little foolish and scoff. She worked on the laptop for a while, typing in commands then finally pulling up the tracking screen. A small red dot blinking on the screen; she plugged in a cable to the Autobots' computer if only to make it clearly visible to all on the large screen. "This would be in the sky of course."

"Alright, we might know his exact location, but it is still extremely dangerous! We would be EXTREMELY OUT NUMBERED! I mean this is the Decepticon war ship." Ratchet insisted to his leader who was mulling the choices over as they spoke.

"While I understand your concern Ratchet, I cannot allow a human life to be harmed while we hold the capabilities to prevent it." Optimus turned to his other warriors. "Prepare the ground bridge and prepare to roll out." Ratchet, knowing there was no way he could convince Optimus otherwise, went to set the coordinates for the ground bridge.

"I'm coming with you!" Sam ran up to the large red bot, but he shook his head in disapproval.

"It is too dangerous. In allowing you to accompany us would simply put your life in danger as well." Optimus was about to proceed toward the ground bridge, but Sam ran in front of him.

"Look, I've lived with Artemis my whole life. She's not just a friend anymore, she's family. If anything happened to her and I didn't do anything to help, I would never forgive myself." She shook her head in sorrow. Optimus believe himself to be getting soft for he felt Sam's plea deep in his spark and knew that he had to bring her.

"Do not leave Bulkhead's side." He finally said, already feeling that it was a horrible idea. Ratchet knew that Optimus was feeling the sting of his decision so did not wish to throw salt into his wounds by protesting. They all transformed into their vehicular form and waited for Sam to take cover inside Bulkhead's bulky car form. Finally, they drove into the ground bridge unaware that Miko followed them, followed by Jack.

**Artemis View**

Artemis noticed Knockout taking notes. She wasn't sure if it was for Megatron's sake or to determine if everything check out in the end, but she continued to explain the complexity which was her life. She was quickly interrupted by an alarm sounding through the halls of the ship.

"Intruder alert! Autobots have penetrated the Nemesis' defenses." A Decepticon announced over the intercom. Knockout's jaw tightened, knowing to well that they came to retrieve the human.

"Well, so much for taking the clean route." His hand transformed into a saw once again and approached her slowly. "Sorry, but with the Autobots after you, I can't risk them taking you alive. Especially after all you told me."

"Perhaps I'm just that lucky." She said sarcastically. It was official; she had to escape these chains now, though it was still cloudy on how. The chains were so tightly around her arm that it squished the blaster so that it would be unable to activate and she did not have the required range of motion required in order to draw out her blade. As the saw got closer, she pulled herself up and yanked on the chains rapidly. If she could just get the chains to drop her down, even just a little, she could use Knockouts saw to cut her free.

"Say, 'aahh' kid." Knockout grinned devilishly as he brought his saw closer painfully slow.

**Autobots' View**

Optimus took the lead, shooting down Decepticons as they revealed themselves. Bumblebee proceeded from the left while Arcee took the right. Bulkhead covered the rear and together they made a box formation moving down the hall, protecting Sam who followed them in the middle of the formation.

"She's either in the brig or in sick bay for experimentation." Arcee announced to the other three of them as she rapidly shot down a Decepticon.

"We must act quickly. Our best option would be to split up and check both locations." Optimus yelled back as he transformed one of his arms into a blade and took down a Decepticon who had gotten to close. Right as he said that, Sam twitched and looked around. She felt something and she had a feeling it was Artemis.

"This way!" Sam, without thinking, ran down the left hall.

"Sam! No!" Arcee turned her body and began to chase her down. Of course, with the Autobots luck, a Decepticon came from a hall and stepped in front of Sam, aiming his cannon at her. As she heard the charge of the blaster heighten, her eyes widened. This was how her life was going to end? Already?

Sam covered her face, hoping maybe she could at least shield her eyes from seeing her own demise. Right as she thought her life was over, a violent shove came from her left. Arms that cradled her and a body that shielded her from the vibrating impact that followed the cannons blast hitting the floor. She opened her eyes slowly and found Artemis staring at the Decepticon soldier.

"Don't touch my Sam." Artemis removed the gauntlet from her arm, activating the blade, and then throwing it into the Decepticon's right optic. It recoiled and then joined its fellow drones on the floor with the help of Arcee's blasters.

"Artemis!" Sam wrapped her arms around her and held her close.

"Sam, didn't I tell you to keep out of dangerous situations?" Artemis loosely put her arms around her, but Sam could feel her leaning. She looked down and found Artemis' foot burned severely.

"Oh, no you're-"

"Just a scratch. Let's get out of here." Artemis saw the yellow bot turn into a speedy muscle care, inviting them in with loud beeps. She hooked one arm around Sam's shoulders for support and began to limp towards the car.

"Optimus, we got her!" Arcee announced as the two girls retreated into Bumblebee.

"Autobots, Fall back!" Optimus put a finger to his audio receptor. "Ratchet, bridge us back now!" As soon as he finished those words, the ground bridge opened to bring them back to base. Artemis watched as the bots outside the car transformed into their appropriate vehicular forms then drive into the ground bridge. Sam, who had been staring at Artemis in relief, raised a backpack to her.

"You dropped this." Sam saw Artemis smile before taking the backpack from her. When they looked out the widow, they found themselves back at base. However, Artemis rubbed her burnt leg and Sam worried. She helped Artemis out of the car willingly, finding Optimus standing waiting for them to get a glimpse of the girl they've been looking for. Artemis bowed her head respectfully.

"Optimus Prime, it is an honor." She said to the large bot standing before her. Optimus noticed the burnt clothing on her left leg.

"Jack. Call June." He turned to the teenage boy who was standing on the stairs. Jack nodded and dialed his mom's number on his phone.

"What can she do?" Sam helped Artemis onto a metal medical bed.

"My mom's a nurse." He heard his mother pick up and turned to talk to her.

"A nurse? Like a doctor, no, no. We don't…I don't do doctors." Sam went to stop Jack, but Artemis placed a hand on her shoulder which stopped her dead.

"It's okay Sam." Artemis laid back, still clutching her leg. Sam could tell she was in real pain.

"Alright…Alright." Sam cuddled into her side. She wasn't sure what it was, but whenever she was with Artemis, she became a five year old again. Artemis looked up at Optimus who was watching worriedly.

"Where do I start?"


	3. Ch 3: Divided We Fall

The Human Prime

Chapter 3: Divided We Fall

Artemis watched as the women in scrubs wrapped her foot up in bandages while lecturing her about how to take care of it. Now and then, she'd look up at Optimus who had long ago gone to talk to his friend, Ratchet. Sam stuck to her side like glue, absorbing the information in hopes to take care of her in her time of need.

"Bumblebee." She muttered under her breath looking at the yellow bot. The most vivid memory she had of the poor bot was when he woke up unable to speak, but the memory was incomplete. Artemis didn't know how his voice box stopped working or if it could have ever been fixed, only that it wasn't working when he woke up. "Bulkhead." Artemis moved onto the large green bot. Most of the memories she had of him came from some of Sam's favorite bed time stories.

The memories of the Wreckers, though Artemis would never admit it, were some of her favorites too. They contained so many grand adventures, not always those that followed the rules. She wondered sometimes when and why Bulkhead separated his ties and joined Team Prime. While the obvious honor of working under Optimus was unmistakable, it also brought up the question of abandoning his friends.

"Arcee." Looking at the small blue bot, it was hard to draw her name from Artemis' memories. Rarely did she hear the name and very few times did she see her within them. There was at least two she could see perfectly, but it brought up many questions. The two memories bore different partners in which no explanation was revealed about what happened to the first. "Ratchet." Looking back at the white and red bot, she found him to be the most interesting. The memories she possessed did not contain him, but merely his name was mentioned. Mostly of him being an excellent medic.

"Artemis, are you listening?" Sam screamed into her ear making her heart jump.

"Apologizes, I wasn't." Artemis flicked Sam's forehead and moved so her feet were dangling on the side of the bed.

"No pushing yourself! And you stay off that foot." Sam tried to act older than she was, but to no effect.

"Alright, Sam. I got it." Artemis almost immediately disobeyed, getting off the metal table testing the support of her foot.

"Artemis! I just said-" Before Sam could finish Miko and Raf approached her in wonder.

"Thanks for saving me!" Miko jumped in excitement then pointed at her. "See Raf, isn't she cool?"

"Uh huh." Raf looked up at Artemis with amazement, hearing so much from Miko who had also talked to Sam.

"Uh, thanks." Artemis felt a slight bit uncomfortable, but put on a warm smile.

"Don't you think it's getting late?" Arcee crossed her arms and looked down at the two hyperactive children.

"Awww." Raf and Miko groaned simultaneously. They waved goodbye then retreated to their waiting vehicles.

"We should go home too." Artemis looked over at Sam who looked disappointed.

"Well maybe we should stay here…Till you, you know. Recover." She knew exactly what Sam meant. What they were going home to wasn't exactly the best place to recover from an injury.

"You can come home with Jack and me." Nurse Darby brought her son closer to her who smiled in agreement. "It's comfortable and you wouldn't have to rest in a hospital for medical attention, but you'd have to call your parents first of course."

"I don't think that's an issue Miss Darby."

"Why is that?" June folded her arms and began tapping her foot. Sam shrugged her shoulders and held up her hands.

"Cause our parents are dead." As soon as the words left her mouth, even the remaining Autobots turned to look at them. "Artemis' parents got killed in a fire and my dad was shot in robbery. I never knew who my mom was, but we've lived on the streets for as long as I can remember." Artemis felt her fingers twitch. Things usually didn't go well when they told grownups that they were orphans living on the streets.

"I'm….So sorry."

"It's fine, and-" She looked at Sam who was silently pleading. "I guess we'll take that free housing, for a while." Sam practically jumped to the moon and went to hug June, who she had gained a trust for. "I guess we'll talk later, Optimus."

"Take care of your injuries." He nodded at her. "I will still be here when you have recovered."

"I'll hold you to that." She smiled at him as June and Sam helped her to her car.

**On the Road**

Artemis sat in the back seat quietly. It hadn't even been five minutes before Sam was fast asleep. Why wouldn't she be? It's been a long, tiring day. Her foot prompted up, taking up the whole back seat, a long awkward silence broke as June attempted to make conversation.

"So how old are you?"

"18."

"That old?" June looked in her rear view mirror to look at her expression.

"It's been a long time since I was a child." She looked back at her in the mirror.

"You've had any education?"

"Cyber Schooling and Online College courses." She answered immediately getting frustrated by the subject.

"That's great. So you take care of Sam?"

"Since I was six."

"Are you struggling?"

"We've had plenty to eat since I was old enough to get decent work." Artemis began to fiddling with the latch on her backpack, knowing too well what was inside. "We're fine living by ourselves."

"You sure?"

"Sam distrusts grownups more than I do. I just think of it easier to live on my own." She noticed that June was hoping for a different answer. Something she could have used to convince them to live in a foster home. "We really are fine Miss Darby. No need to worry."

"Sorry, I'm just a natural worry wart."

"You have your reasons."

"How would you know about that?"

"If you have room and are so eager to have guests, most likely you don't have a husband to convince." The awkwardness was back again. "You raised him all alone?"

"Yes, I did."

"He seems nice. You did well."

"Thank you?" Artemis realized she had gotten and abnormally amount of questionable 'thank you's today.

"No problem." She began to feel some drowsiness catch up to her, unfortunately the car stopped and they finally arrived at the Darby's home. She got out of the car on her own and opened Sam's door. Usually Artemis would just pick her up and carry her in so she wouldn't have to wake her up, but she doubted that she would be able to carry Sam all the way inside with her leg. "Sam, Sam wake up. We're here."

"I wasn't sleeping; I was just resting my eyes." Sam shot forward and got out of the car still a little out of it. Artemis looped her arm around her and helped her to the door. "I'm the one who's supposed to help you remember?"

"You already did, you're off duty now." They both let out a breathless laugh, both too tired to let out worthy laughter. Before Artemis followed Sam into the house, she watched Jack talk to Arcee. Just then Jack turned and looked at her. "Can I talk to her alone?"

"Sure." He waved Arcee goodbye, knowing she would go back to base. Artemis walked toward the bike and sat in front of it.

"Arcee, right?" She asked while curling her uninjured leg towards her torso.

"Yes."

"Can I ask you some questions, before you go?"

"I'm no Optimus, but I'll do the best I can."

"How long have you been here?"

"Too long to remember, as long as the Decepticons have."

"You're in trouble, aren't you? You're outnumbered."

"We're outnumbered, but we have Optimus. So, in a way, it's a fair fight."

"You sound so confident."

"When you're against these odds, sometimes all you have is confidents."

"One more, if I ever need to find you, where was the base located?"

"Why would you need to know that? You'll be here."

"You're right, never mind." Artemis sighed tiredly. As much as she wanted to drill her on the bases location, she was exhausted. Arcee's engine revved as her front wheel turned back towards the road.

"Tell Jack I have to go on patrol, but I'll be back by morning." Arcee drove off before Artemis could answer.

She leaned against the garage door feeling the pain of her leg catching up to her. Slowly, she walked into the house. The home was so stereotypical for a single mother of Nevada. It also was pain achingly dull. Sam though was enjoying the taste of a home.

"Can we take a shower?" Sam giggled as she played with the revolving spice rack.

"Of course dear." June frowned at the excitement realizing that she must not get showers often.

"You first Artemis!" Sam smiled and hopped awkwardly. "I want to help you in the shower."

"You go ahead, I want to sit down and compose myself." Artemis did just that, taking a seat on the bland couch.

"Alright, if you say so." Sam left to take her shower. Artemis was relieved that June did not attempt to make any conversation with her and instead went to change for bed. Jack, too, did not try to impress her.

"What was your name again?" She said softly, a little strain in her voice.

"Jack." He frowned and she could tell he was slightly offended.

"Right, sorry. I'm not at my best today." She mumbled then looked at him in the eye. "You must know where the Autobot base is located exactly."

"I know a bit." She could see his body tense and all of a sudden he became suspicious of her. "Why?"

"I want to be able to find it, if I need to." Artemis stroked the thigh of her damaged leg, feeling the soreness crawl up from her ankle.

"You're not going back?" This time he sounded concerned and his suspicion faded.

"I said if, besides, I need retrieve my things sooner or later." She attempted to assure him.

"It's right outside Jasper, in a hidden military bunker inside a large rock formation, the one behind the stop sign." He rubbed his eyes and looked at her tiredly. "I'm going to go to bed; we'll talk more in the morning?"

"Yeah, go ahead and get some sleep. You must be fatigued." She watched him walk to his room, and then let out a soft sigh. In truth, she didn't have any intentions of rejoining with the Autobots. It was by far a grand experience to have had finally met the Cybertronians that for years she had been hoping to meet. Though, she decided that it would be best if she sever ties to the Autobots until she became more reliant.

"Artemis, your turn." Sam came out with a towel wrapping her hair. Artemis jumped surprisingly, realizing she had dozed off into a day dream. She looked over Sam and found her clean and happy, which pleased her. "Let me help you into the shower."

"I can do it myself, Why don't you get comfortable? You had a rough day." Artemis got onto her feet and headed toward the bathroom.

"Says you! You were the one who got captured by the Decepticons." Sam growled under her breath, but went to lie on the couch. When Artemis went into the bathroom, she saw the hot steam coat the air. Slowly she took off her clothes, making sure not to make any sudden jerks.

The water was warm and refreshing when she finally got under the light rain of water from the shower head. As the water ran down her leg and soaked into her legs bandages she hissed violently. The burns stung and became almost unbearable, but then suddenly she felt nothing. Only the small rush of water that went from her head down to her shoulders and then down her back.

A voice whispered in her head, echoing. Then there were several more. She remembered this feeling though it had been years since she experienced it. It was a memory. Her eyes blurred and then no longer saw the interior of the shower. Only a battlefield filled with metal and fire. The sight of two Autobots exchanging blaster fire with a Decepticon platoon; they were ducking down in trenches waiting to rejoin the rest of their unit. They were cornered and outnumbered.

_?: Five Nano-cycles and we're already separated from the rest of them. Why didn't we just stay in training? _

_?: Don't be like that Ozone, we contribute to the unit just like everyone else. _

_Ozone: Mirror Shot, really? We are nothing like the others. We're protoforms compared to these guys. _

_Mirror Shot: But they don't have your speed, or my accuracy. Ozone, we are an important part of this unit. _

_Ozone:…If you say so._

Artemis grunted as the salt and dirt from her filthy body got into her eyes and made them burn. She wiped her eyes and began washing her face. Though the memory was not finished, she didn't need to see the end of the battle. She knew from a memory she had later on that Ozone and Mirror Shot were the only survivors in that battle. Artemis also knew that they were also killed trying to regroup with a nearby unit.

**Artemis POV**

I finished cleaning my body before turning off the water and sitting myself on the side of the tub. I could see the mud clinging to the sides of the tub and felt bad for Miss. Darby who would most likely have to clean it up. Though, it felt good to cleanse myself of all the heavy dust and sad that had accumulated onto me.

The memory bothered me. Primus was most likely sending it to me in attempt to tell me to remain with the Autobots and not to kick myself in the butt. However, my eyes began to water. The deaths of Autobots on the field were always a very emotional time period for me. At the position I was it, they were like dear friends. I felt their emotions, saw their triumphs, knew their dreams and love interests only to watch it all get snatch away in battle. Though it was a long time ago, it seemed fresh and new and painful.

When I finally could gather myself, I stood up and took my clothes and began washing them in the sink. Despite what I would do about my connection with the Autobots, I was not going to stay here. Due morning, my wounds would be healed and questions would be unavoidable.

My clothes finished, though wet, and my body clean and dry, I joined Sam out into the living room. She was asleep and unresponsive. I sat in the couch and watched her for a while, seeing her so safe and secure made everything feel calming yet unpleasant. Last time I felt secure my home was burning down.

I felt my eyes drift close and my muscles relax and for once I indulged it. A familiar feel of a breeze caused my eyes to flutter open. It didn't take me long to realize that I was in a dream, a dream from Primus. I stood up from lying on the metal ground that reflected a gold hue from the sun.

"It's been too long Primus." I walked up to the large robotic figure that gave off a godlike glow.

"You hadn't needed me till now." He responded while I was busy staring at his formal pose. It didn't occur to me till now that his posture had rubbed off on me. I never slouched.

"I suppose that's true, but I feel unprepared." I stood next to him and looked out to the scene before me. Cybertron was beautiful. At least, what she saw in her memories and dreams, the golden age, was beautiful. Everything was like a shiny new penny.

"Is that why you wish to severe ties with my disciple?" His eyebrow rose as I crossed my arms in thought.

"I don't want Optimus to worry about me too. I want to be able to hold my own so that I can relieve some stress off his shoulders." I remembered the way Optimus looked when I met him. His optics were filled with worry and something about the way he watched Miss. Darby wrap my leg made me feel horrible. I hoped to help him, but all I did was caused him more trouble.

"First impressions are usually wrong." Those words were vague, but oddly helpful. "With your first encounter, I think you did well."

"So you were watching." I smiled in realizing that he hadn't abandoned me completely.

"Now that you understand the threat you will react better. And you will have me of course." He dropped to one knee so that it was less of a stain to look up at him. "I will reteach you everything I taught you before."

"I am ready." I was pleased that I could brush up on what I was so rusty on before. Perhaps rejoining up with the Autobots wasn't a horrible idea after all.

**The Next Morning**

Artemis woke up early in the morning, her body twitched her awake at the rising sun coming in front the window. Samantha was still fast asleep. Without hesitation, she got up and checked the other rooms. Jack and June were still fast asleep. Rushing back to Sam's side, she shook her awake.

"Uggg, I'm up, I'm up." Sam leaned forward and ruffled her bed head in place.

"Get up, we're leaving." Artemis stood up and went to fetch her bag.

"Your leg?" Sam shot up and followed Artemis into the kitchen.

"It's healed and well." Artemis sat on the kitchen counter and removed her bandages to show Sam. It was indeed fully healed which also convinced Sam it was time to leave. Explaining why she healed so fast would be a bother and, from experience, was a very bad idea. If they could avoid the situation, then they would. Sam went through the cupboards looking for what food they could take with them. Artemis began writing an apology letter.

"I hated her a lot less than the other ones. Do you think we can visit them? And the Autobots? Or, are we disappearing?" Sam knew well how the situation worked. Whenever they would stay over a kind stranger's home, they would have to 'disappear.' Make no contact with the residents; completely avoid the town until one would just forget they ever existed. Sometimes they would even move from where they were living in order to become more transparent.

"No, we aren't disappearing." Artemis finished signing the letter than folded it neatly. "In fact, I'm sure we'll see the Autobots and Jack again soon. Though, I would like to avoid June for a reasonable amount of time considering she is a nurse." She suddenly noticed Sam was staring at a report card on the fridge.

"Artemis."

"Yes?"

"I want to go to school." Sam continued to stare and for a long time they stood silent in the kitchen.

"Maybe you will." Artemis placed the note where June would surely find it then stuffed the food that Sam had gathered in her bag. "For now, let's go home." They both gathered left through the front door. Artemis checked the garage to find Arcee's robotic form, sprawled out, resting her joints and optics. It was obvious that she had a long night.

"Hurry up, Artemis before June wakes up." Sam waited for Artemis at the end of the driveway. She watched Arcee a bit longer before turning to Sam and nodding. Prepared to leave, they began walking towards the far edge of town.

**Autobot Base**

Optimus stared at the bases computer as it monitored different frequencies, desperately looking for Decepticon activity or Autobot signals. When the kids drove in, he half expected to hear the usual child madness begin, but the first thing he heard was…

"Optimus, that girl snuck out last night. She just got up and left before we woke up." Jack exclaimed after removing his helmet. Optimus turned and gave off a worried expression. If she was out wondering the streets somewhere, she was easy pickings for the Decepticons.

"We must split up and search for her. Her safety remains an absolute priority." He saw Rafael typing on his computer doing what he did best, help.

"Considering the time frame, she could be anywhere from next door to Jack to the canyon's in the dessert." Raf frowned up at them knowing that that was a lot of ground to cover and that the possibilities only got longer as more time passed by.

"Arcee and Bumblebee, you search within the town. Bulkhead, you and I will search the perimeter of the canyons and the dessert. Ratchet, monitor different frequencies and see if you can pick up a signal from her. It is possible that she has an Energon signature. Report anything that may hint to the ware bouts of the human girl." He watched his Autobots nod then transform before him. "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus transformed himself then left through the normal front entrance with the rest.

**Airplane Hanger**

Artemis lied in her chair and watched the clock tick away. A knew pair of gauntlets made with brand new metal laid before her only as empty shells, canvases to be painted on. Ever since the malfunction in the Decepticon Ship, she decided it was time to forge her final perfection of her armor. Iron boots sat in front of her on the side of the table, the wiring almost complete and weight design almost refined.

She taped her screwdriver against the light metal before placing the tool down and standing up. A sudden realization that her actions were charged with adrenaline, she could not focus on her work. Pacing around the confines of the abandoned hanger, Artemis decided on fresh air.

Opening the doors she peered on silver legs. They belonged to a simple Decepticon servant. She dared not end his life, but if he attacked she would have to. Ever since being caught off guard, she dare not go anywhere without an operational gauntlet on her left arm with a solid blaster mounted easily accessible.

Artemis pointed it at the bot as he reached down for her. When it got significantly close, instead of shooting it, she jumped up onto its arm then ran up and smashed her covered fist into its plated face. It responded to the blow with a grunt and fell over while she jumped back to original position.

To her disappointment and horror, it did not attempt to catch her again, but instead retreated. If he wasn't going to catch her, then he was gathering information. He was relaying how much firepower it's going to take to get me back. Even worse, now they knew where she lived.

It was at this point that she really wished she knew EXACTLY where the Autobots' base was. Because she felt when day broke the next morning, she would be against a platoon of Decepticon scouts. But despite that, at all costs, she had to keep this a secret from Sam.


	4. Ch 4: United We Stand

The Human Prime

Chapter 4: United We Stand

Sam peered over the computers she would never be able to afford. The previous day, Artemis was acting rather anxious. She poured over her unfinished upgrades in a scramble to get them finished. Luckily, Artemis was one of those types that didn't make mistakes if she increased the pace. Though this morning, she insisted that Sam go out and entertain herself for a couple hours.

This wasn't new. Sometimes, Artemis would tell her to go out just so she could get a significant amount of work done, but today seemed different. Even Sam, who barely knew anything about the situation they were in, knew that this had something to do with the con-nappers. If Artemis really wanted her gone, it was for her protection.

Though it plagued her mind, there was nothing she could do. She forgot to memorize the Darby's address, she had no clue on how to start looking for the Autobots and, even if the opponents weren't skyscraper sized robots, she wasn't a very good fighter.

As she thought about what she would do, she heard her stomach begin to growl. Sam made a beeline to K.O. Burger where she could get something good to eat. That's when she saw the familiar blue bike and the tall teen boy who rode it.

"Jack! Oh god, JACK!" Sam ran as fast as she could over to him before he entered the building. Jack looked oddly enough surprised and glad to see her.

"Samantha! W-where have you been? We've been looking for you and Artemis all over the place." He founded almost angry, but at the same time realized.

"We went home, but I'm scared Jack. Artemis told me that it would be best for me to stay away from our home today. I think she's expecting a Decepticon attack to retrieve her. Jack, you gotta help!" Sam didn't even realize that tears were starting to form. She might have been exaggerating a little, but apparently, in her head she genuinely though that Artemis was going to get hurt.

"Arcee to base." Sam was startled by the found of the bike, but remembered that it was Arcee and calmed down. "I got Sam here with me, but she says she thinks Artemis is in trouble." Jack and Sam waited for a response from whoever was at base.

"Understood Arcee; Knowing this, we have not time to lose. Begin pursuit of the girl, we will rendezvous with you there." Optimus responded through the com-link.

"You heard Optimus, get on and take me to where Artemis is." Sam nodded and got on the motorcycle. Jack sheepishly voted to stay behind; as luck would have it he had a shift to do.

**Airplane Hanger**

Artemis screwed in the last screw that held the gauntlet's blaster in place. She had to admit, not only did the engineering part of the project surpass her expectations, it looked pretty damn cool.

In honor of this being her final attempt on the armor, she realized that this would be the outfit that she'd someday have a showdown with her sister in; maybe even Megatron too. So, to show sign of respect and in hopes it would give her strength and wisdom to fight, she engraved symbols that stood for Autobots that had perished during the war. At least, all the ones she knew of presently. Memories come in slowly and who knows if one would bring in a new ally to add to the deceased list.

She took out the black spandex suit she would wear underneath all of the madness. She cringed, but still began slipping it on. Artemis then took out layer upon layer of important yet light clothing, most in which were designed to stop bullets and be 'fire proof.' When she was done putting on the material type clothing, she looked in the mirror.

Artemis let out a single puff of laughter. She was beginning to look like an army ranger without the bulky bullet proof jackets and vests. One of her favorite pieces was the black face mask that was curled up against her neck for safe keeping. When debris starts to fly, she knew she'd thank having that to keep dirt out of her mouth.

She took out the metal pieces next. First, Artemis put on metal boots. They were lighter than she thought as she slipped them on and shifted weight in them effortlessly. The small blinking red light meant that neither boot was connected which was expected. She silently smiled at what she'd put in the boots. Not only were they lighter than most running shoes, but they also had a magnetism setting and pressured air launch for when you needed an extra boost in your jump (not that she needed it, thanks to the shard she could jump pretty high). All thanks to Primus' excellent teachings.

Finally she used the pressured lock to secure them onto her legs. There were five that led all the way up the boot from the side. The boots themselves were just below her knee. They kind of reminded her of complex ski boots. Artemis took her gauntlets and slipped them on next. The joints were much better than her old ones and the finger tips weren't pointy, which made it much easier to work in. She traced one metallic finger over the symbols on the opposite gauntlet. Lastly, she strapped them on securely too.

The only thing she could not even start was the torso armor. Unfortunately, she had no more metal to begin forging the shell. Instead, she took out a small red sheet and wrapped it over her shoulders like a shawl and bobby pinned it closed.

"That'll do." Artemis nodded at her reflection in the mirror and took the final piece in her hand. It was a visor that went over her eyes. Due to the lack of metal, she couldn't make a helmet to protect her head. Though, at least she had the equipment most important to it. Communications link, visual display, and zooming features packed into one little piece of equipment. Also, it linked all of the other pieces of armor together so that she could activate each feature with either voice command or by her brain.

Fully armored, Artemis had to do a double take in the mirror. She looked almost like a Transformer herself. Her admiring of her new look was interrupted by booming footsteps outside.

"They're finally here." Artemis raised her face mask up over her nose and switched on her visor. "Come get me Decepticons." The sound of her guns cocking echoed in the hanger as she headed towards the back exit. "I'm ready."

**Canyon**

Optimus finally caught up with Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead following behind him. He could hear the sound of blaster fire ricochet off the canyon walls. They were close and Artemis was in danger. He went into over drive and as he turned the corner with a skid, he saw a stray Decepticon from the others turn and look at them.

Usually, he wouldn't strike down a defenseless Decepticon scout, but with a human child in danger he had no choice. Optimus transformed and immediately drew out his pistols. The others followed his lead and before he knew it, the scout was motionless against the canyon wall. His warriors continued in front of him, checking direction the scout was headed in.

However, when he finally got a view of what his Autobots saw, he was shocked. Decepticon corpses lay on the ground. Only a few stragglers were left, which when they saw them turn the corner, they too made themselves scarce. Sam came out from behind Arcee and began running into the mesh of Cybertronian bodies.

"Artemis! Artemis!" Sam ran over the large mechanical parts until she got to Artemis, who was standing at the end of the war zone. Artemis turned towards her friend and wrapped her arms around her as she jumped into her. "I thought you were going to die!"

"Stop being so melodramatic, I'm fine. I'm fine." She smiled at her then looked over at the Autobots who were examining the wreckage. A few Decepticons were unfinished and clung to the Autobots, trying to do as much damage as they could, but all were put out of their misery.

**Artemis POV**

My arm hurt. It wasn't damaged or bleeding, but it hurt. It was my left arm. My arm in which held the sacred Cybertronian relic deep within its muscle tissue. It stung and ached up to my shoulder. Sam touched my cheek and I winced from shock.

"What?" I watched her draw her hand back and show me. There was a tint of red on her fingers which suggested I got a cut on my cheek.

"I'm running out of band aids." Sam scowled at me which was an attempt to make me seem more like the child, but I only shook my head at her in amusement. I followed Sam back into the hanger, but paused when I noticed Optimus staring at me.

"Um, you're welcome to come inside." I gestured toward the hanger. The other Autobots headed towards it, welcoming the opportunity to get out of the sun. Optimus only nodded and waited till I headed inside to join his Autobots.

I pulled off my mask and breathed in cold air. Sam immediately was on me with band aids and bandages. She began sticking them on the one cut on my face which was minor from a stone that simply jumped up at me in the midst of gun fire. When I sat down in my chair that was in front of my desk, Sam had already stamped the cut with three band aids.

To my surprise, I couldn't get my eyes off of Optimus' figure. Every time I tried looking at one of the others, my eyes drifted back to him. It wasn't long before he began to sense my stare and looked at me, in which I ducked my head down to my arm, examining one of my first 'battle scars.'

**Optimus POV**

I looked down at the human girl in whom we had an interesting track record of finding her cut, bruised, or burned. I could sense her staring at me even since I entered the hanger in which was thankfully large enough for me to stand up in. I couldn't help but realize that she had quite a fascination with me, though if everything was true from what Sam had told us, I could imagine why.

I began to examine her as she had me. The armor she was wearing looked similar to the Autobots' weaponry. The symbols that were etched into its metal reminded me of names of past Autobots, one in particular that had a tail that tied around a gate like a lock; Tailgate, how clever. My optics drifted to a mark on her face which almost made me gasp.

I realized that she had been touched by the ancients. Even more surprising, she looked as if she had been touched by Primus himself. It was then that I remembered she wanted to speak with me. Perhaps those markings, her knowledge, were the contents of that long talk we would soon have.

Looking throughout the rest of the hanger, I saw notes and books on technology and advanced robotics. Something a bit complicated for a child like herself despite being legally considered an adult. Obviously she was bright, but even so. When Bulkhead tipped an old plane that was occupying a small space in the back of the hanger, I took it as a signal to speak up.

"You have been living here for a long time?" I looked down at Artemis who was trying to focus on her arm.

"We've been living here for maybe five years by now. It's not the best home in the world, but it's better than living on the streets." Artemis responded with minor humor in her voice, but then looked up at me with all seriousness.

"I say, with the utmost concern for your safety, that, if you do not have parental guardians to look out for you, it would be for the best that you would return with us to live in our base so that we can guarantee your safe from Decepticon reach." I got on one knee and supported the rest of my weight on the knuckles of my left servo.

"While you do not quite understand that being able to completely keep me safe from Decepticon harm is virtually impossible." With such a sophisticated answer, I couldn't help but feel a bit of respect for her. "I think you are right. It's not safe here while the Decepticons know exactly where to locate me."

"So, we're moving in with the Autobots!" Sam stopped fiddling with the pens and papers on the desk and smiled at Artemis. I could see that she was more than excited.

"If the Autobots wouldn't mind a few house guests." I stared at Artemis; her expression looked content yet hidden behind her eyes was a glint of concern and confusion.

"I'm not sure Ratchet would be too happy with it, but he's not really a people person to begin with." Arcee smiled and looked at Bumblebee who let out a buzzing bout of laughter.

**Autobot Base**

Artemis opened the door to the large truck, watching Sam jump out of the green car and begin remove boxes from the back seat. She looked around the base and noticed small details that she failed to notice the last time she was there. Before jumping down and joining Sam in unloading, she watched Arcee walk past her and head towards the back of the trailer hitched to Optimus.

As soon as Artemis was down, Optimus transformed and went to go fetch Ratchet who wasn't stationed at his usual position on the computer. Arcee opened the trailer and began unloading its contents, placing them near the stairs. When Sam finished taking the boxes out from the back seat, Bulkhead joined Arcee.

"We got it." Arcee said when Artemis attempted to help them. It made sense since Sam and she would have to unpack the contents of the boxes by themselves.

"Think we got everything?" Sam looked inside the trailer at the piles of boxes that were slowly diminishing thanks to Arcee and Bulkhead.

"I think so, the important stuff anyways." Artemis looked over some of the boxes trying to remember what all they packed. Sam walked over to Bumblebee and gave him a thumb up.

"Hey, Bee, wanna come and check to make sure we got everything?" She smiled wider when Bee nodded and buzzed happily.

"Hey, on the way do you think you could pick up Miko? With all the commotion this morning, I didn't have time to pick her up." Bulkhead said while setting down a few more boxes.

"No problem Bulk. Which reminds me, where is Raf?" She looked up at Bumblebee as he buzzed and bleeped while performing subtle hand gestures. Sam stared at him for a while silently. "What?"

"He said that Rafael is spending time with his family since it's the last day of spring vacation." Artemis answered as she was finally able to sneak a box into her arms and went to place it next to the stairs. Everyone paused for a second to stare, but stopped once they figured they should expect as much.

"What in Primus' name is going on here?" Ratchet exclaimed as he walked into the room. Sam gestured to Bumblebee, taking that as a sign to get out of there. Artemis rubbed the back of her neck feeling sheepish all of a sudden. Optimus had obviously not found him and explained him the situation.

"Roommates, Ratchet, thought you might feel lonely when we are out on missions." Arcee joked as she rolled her eyes at him, realizing that this was leading towards one of Ratchet's long arguments.

"Humans, living here! Twenty four seven!" Ratchet continued on his fit before Optimus could enter from where he was in the back and stop him.

"Ratchet, they do not have a home. It would be safer and more efficient if they live here with us instead of assigning them an Autobot guardian like the others." He peered over at Artemis who was listening to everything. "Besides, I am certain that you will appreciate the experience more than you know my old friend." Ratchet looked down at her as well, bringing a servo to his chin.

"Hmm." He stared at her for a long time before the air was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable.

"You're making me nervous Ratchet; please don't look at me like that." She finally said with a heavy exhale.

"Hmpf, don't be absurd." He returned to his regular position on the computer. Artemis looked at the stacks of boxes then at Optimus. She walked up to him shyly and waited for him to look down at her with a questioning expression.

"Can you, help me with something?" She said with an almost fading tone. Optimus gave an almost half smile at her request.

"How may I be of assistance?" He knelt down to her so he could hear her better, predicting her small tone to continue.

"I need you to take me somewhere." Artemis looked over at Bulkhead and Arcee then at her watch, not too late. "I need to…pick up something." He thought about the demand before answering.

"Very well."

**K.O. Burger**

Sam bit into the juicy burger, Miko sitting along aside her. Sitting on Bumblebee's hood, they scrolled through some of Miko's old photos on her phone. Soon after they finished picking up the last of her things from the hanger, they stopped by to eat and pick up Jack; by Arcee's late request.

"How long does it take to take off a hat and punch out?" Sam complained and took another bite of her burger then shoved a fry in her mouth.

"Oh, look at this one. This is Bulkhead and his buddy Wheeljack. He went away for a while, but he's back now." Miko handed the phone to Sam who stared at it for a while.

"There's another Autobot on Earth other than you guys Bumblebee?" She forgot that Bee couldn't speak and was disappointed to get a buzz in return.

"Only him; He doesn't like to stay at the base because he's more like a free spirit. Ya know? Bulkhead said most of the Wreckers were like that." Miko took the phone back, paging through newer photos.

"Wait, He's a Wrecker? Wait! Thee Wheeljack and Bulkhead from the Wreckers! Why didn't you tell me sooner? Oh, Artemis used to tell me all kinds of stories about the Wreckers! I didn't think they were alive. She told me a lot of them didn't make it." Sam smiled at Miko as she put her phone away and crumbled up her wrappers.

"They're the real deal alright. Hey, maybe when we get back, Bulk can take us to see him! We haven't seen him in a while." She got into the car when she saw Jack come out from the fast food place. Sam quickly joined her while throwing her garbage in the nearest trashcan.

"I can't wait." Sam buckled her seatbelt and looked out the window.

**On the Road**

Artemis held a stack of papers in her lap from the school and watched Optimus pull into the library. She jumped out and gestured him to wait a second as she rushed into the building. She started funneling books into the drop off slot, watching random faces begin to migrate out. Just before she could rush out the door, her boss stopped her.

"Artemis, is that your truck out front?" Minnie was looking out the glass doors out into the parking lot.

"Uh, yeah?" Artemis bit her lip as she thought up an explanation. "I was saving up for a car. You know how long it takes me get from my house to here on foot. He was on sale, cheap."

"He? So you've finally gotten into boys. Though, I hoped your love interest would have more blood than diesel. You sure he was on sale? I mean look at that body detail. Someone must have put a lot of work into it." Minnie almost went to go take a closer look.

"Love interest, ha ha, you're so funny Minnie." Artemis cut her off. "Nope, all I need is my truck. No man could take that machines place. True, the body detail is amazing, but the engine needed to be replaces. Luckily I had one hanging around from my repair shop days that fit him just right. Wow, look at the time, got to fly, bye!" She rushed out the door before Minnie could say otherwise and jumped into Optimus. He began driving again and there was this long silence before she finally thought of something to talk about. "Ratchet, you've known him for a long time, haven't you?"

"We have known each other long before I could call myself a Prime." He said through the speakers which made her feel oddly happy that she could still talk to him while he's driving.

"Who were you before you were a Prime?" She thought about the sliver of memories that came in blurry flashes, never getting the whole picture of who he was.

"I was a clerk in the Iacon hall of records back on Cybertron named Orion Pax." His voice sounded a bit shaky as if something happened recently involving that specific name.

"Just like I'm a clerk at the Jasper Library." She smiled and thought what coincidence it was that they were both once librarians. "Were you smart? Not that you're not smart now, I mean were you." Artemis tried to think of the correct word to fit that situation. "Philosophical?"

"You could put it that way." She couldn't help, but think that this was the longest conversation that he has had with anyone.

"Well, I'd love to hear your thoughts sometime. Knowledge is power and we all interpret it different ways. So in a way, we have infinite amount of power if we all share our knowledge with each other." Artemis smiled, but then gave a weird look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make that sound power hungry."

"I understood your meaning." With that another long awkward silence fell upon them, which was surprisingly broken by Optimus. "How is it that you know so much of our world?"

"Oh, that. It's a long story." Luckily it was a long ride back to base. She explained about the pods, her sister opening one of them, the commotion she caused raising from the dead five days later and of course her encounter with Primus in her subconscious. "Now, he sends me memories during the day and talks to me in my dreams or when I'm really relaxed."

"It sounds like the origin of the markings on your left arm is from what we call the Shard of the Matrix. It was said that when the thirteen primes did battle with Unicron the destroyer, a piece of the matrix was chipped off. It would stand to reason that during the war of Cybertron that those pods were sent into space to keep it from getting into enemy hands. It would stand to reason that the Shard of the Matrix was in the lightly colored pod while the other-" Artemis interrupted him with something she found out very well.

"While the other had the Spark of Unicron in the other, where did that come from?" Unfortunately she was unfamiliar with the entire story.

"Dark Energon was said to be the blood of Unicron. I can deduce that perhaps part of his spark chamber had broken off during the battle of the beginning and had been empowered by his dark spark. It would explain how your sister had become significantly stronger by absorbing it. However, I'm not certain why you and your sister had been so unusually affected by relics. Usually, something that strong would be very harmful to humans." Optimus could see the base coming into view.

"That is a good question Optimus. I'd kind like the answer to that one too."

**Autobot Base**

Artemis stepped out of the truck and onto the cement ground. She growled at the boxes knowing too well that she'd have to be awake throughout the whole night to get settled in. Jack, Sam, and Miko sat on the green couch watching TV as Ratchet worked grumpily. Sam automatically shot up when she saw Optimus transform and walk over to talk to Ratchet, knowing Artemis had returned.

"Where have you been? You went on a bonding trip with Optimus without me?" She giggled and ran down the stairs.

"Here," Artemis handed her the papers from the school. "You start tomorrow, okay?" Sam looked over the papers when she realized they were copies of an enrollment application with her name on them.

"You mean I'm going to school?" She looked at Artemis who was watching her face passively.

"Yes, but don't ask me to do your homework. You do it on your own. I can tutor you if you need help, but that's it. You better get good grades or you're going back-" Artemis couldn't finish before Sam hugged her tightly around her middle as if she were a little girl.

"Thank you Artemis!" Sam rushed over to the others sitting on the couch raving about her enrollment into their school. Artemis sighed heavily then looked at the boxes. Opening one, she pulled out a developed photo. It was Sam and her standing in front of the hanger with smiles on their faces. Why did it feel like she'd never see those carefree faces again?


	5. Ch 5: Taming A Wrecker

The Human Prime

Chapter 5: Taming a Wrecker

Artemis tapped two fingers against Sam's cheek. She only groaned slightly, but then began snoring again. Artemis attempted to wake her again, but had similar results. She left her to sleep for a bit longer and filled her own backpack with all the materials she would need then returned to wake her up. Tap, tap, groan, and then snore.

"Sam, wake up." Artemis shook her violently, but still heard snorts and snores. She began to grumble underneath her breath for every shake, growing increasingly frustrated. Ratchet looked over his shoulder at Bulkhead who was standing near the entrance of the base.

"Shouldn't you be at Miko's house?" He looked at Bulkhead with the oddest concern for Miko's punctuality, in which she had none.

"Not yet, but I have to take Sam to school now too." Bulkhead watched Ratchet groan and shake his head.

"Don't remind me of their presence. They were a constant pain in my circuits yesterday. How small beings can make so much noise is beyond me. It is a relief that I'll at least get rid of one of them this morning." Ratchet shuttered simply recalling the other night which unfortunately for him was moving in night.

"Come on doc, there not all bad. Even Optimus likes the company of one of them. Maybe you should give them a chance." Bulkhead thought in his head that Sam would drive him up the wall since she is almost a replica of Miko. Before he could say anything more, he heard a thud and then screaming. Both bots looked over at the stairs where Sam was lying at the bottom of, screaming up at Artemis who resided at the top. Artemis tossed down the backpack to her.

"There you go Bulk, finally up and ready for school." She bent down and opened a box, rummaging through its contents.

"You don't have to be so rough." Sam growled back, but then saw Artemis pull out a frame welder.

"I didn't have ice water. Now go! You'll be late for school." With that, Sam and Bulk took off to pick up Miko for school. Artemis gave off a heavy sigh then looked at Ratchet who was rubbing his brow. "I'm sorry this must be…infuriating. I promise once things get settled that it will be more discreet." He looked up at her and grumbled.

"I doubt that." He waved her off then went off to the back somewhere. She sighed at the lack of progress and looked up into the rafters. Noticing a metal walk way she put down her welder on the coffee table and went into the elevator. Artemis noticed several buttons and pressed the one above the current level. When the door finally opened she stepped out and found herself high above the ground floor.

She looked around and noticed it was more of a lookout post for watchmen and probably a popular place to go on lunch break. Artemis jumped and found the metal platform sturdy, it didn't budge at all. She shook on the railings and found that they were sturdy as well. Walking the length of the platform, it only ran along the diameter of the main room. Examining the walkway more closely, Artemis also found that it was recently repaired and several bit marks, but nothing that would lessen the strength.

"I guess this is where I can set up a bedroom. Just a little reinforcement and we can sleep up here where we won't be disturbed and won't disturb others." She particularly thought of Sam's snoring and Ratchet's reaction to her guaranteeing silence. "Good thing I keep a sheet of metal around for quick fixes." She headed toward the elevator to get started.

**Back Rooms of the Autobot Base**

Optimus noticed Ratchet as he was heading back to the main room. He was mumbling to himself as he carried various objects in his servos. It was obvious that his old friend did not feel comfortable with the arrangement he had developed with the new female children.

"Ratchet." He watched as his friend abruptly stumbled and clung to his parts. Before responding to Optimus' call he cleared his throat.

"Yes, yes what is it Optimus?" His attempts to keep all his repair materials I his metal arms failed as one part hit the ground and he let out a groan.

"You seem troubled." Optimus asked with one raised eyebrow before picking up his friend's part.

"Forgive me I'm just a bit…flustered with how things are right now." Ratchet pinched his brow and pondered before saying what he said next. "Must these humans live here with us? I mean perhaps they would feel more comfortable at one of the other children's homes or even with Agent Fowler. This is not a children's home." They began walking together back to the main room.

"It would be complicated to explain to the families of the situation. In addition, it would be wrong to impose them or Agent Fowler to look after a human that the Decepticons are restlessly searching for. I have a feeling that the two girls would not react lightly to being under government protection." He put a hand on Ratchet's shoulders. "Perhaps it would be best to learn the experience Ratchet. I believe that you would have a lot to gain by giving these children a chance."

"What could I gain from humans, much less human children?" Ratchet sighed after thinking it over. "Maybe I am letting my pride blind me of my ignorance again." He frowned when he thought about how defenseless he felt when Rafael was dangerously ill.

"I have had the privilege of having a conversation with Artemis. I find her quite intelligent and eager to learn. I think you would be wise to have a similar conversation before determining if you can or cannot learn from them." When they returned to the main room, they could not find a trace of Artemis. All of a sudden they heard a crackling noise above them. There was Artemis, welding a sheet of metal to the railing of the upper level.

**On the Nemesis**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU LOST HER?" Megatron screamed at his subordinated who returned from their mission.

"She was not at the hanger Lord Megatron." The grunt Decepticon bowed his head lowly and looked back at his master. "My guess is that the Autobots have brought her with them on our last encounter."

"Are you telling me vital intelligence is in the hands of Optimus Prime!" Megatron grew more furious towards the young warrior who retreated away from him.

"Forgive me Lord Meg-" He didn't get a chance to finish before his master took his mask in his claws and threw them across the room. The purple spider-like femme bot walked towards Megatron with her head low.

"Lord Megatron, I could locate the human and bring her back. My trapping skills surpass those of all other Decepticons." Airachnid saw another bot walk up next to her, his larger form more impressive than that of hers.

"My lord I can bring the human back without fail." Dreadwing bowed to his master, but Megatron growled and looked over at his screens.

"Silence!" He thought for a moment as his subordinates fell silent. Megatron looked over at Soundwave who was waiting for his Lord's command. "Soundwave, monitor the area. Take Knockout with you. I'm sure our little friend will show her face sooner or later."

**Autobot Base**

"Why are you moving all of your stuff way up there?" Ratchet asked, watching Artemis moving boxes to the elevator.

"Not all my stuff. Just clothes and such, all my other things are staying down here." She kept moving things into the elevator avoiding his true question.

"But why?" He asked again getting a little aggravated. Artemis paused, holding a box in her hands. She bit her lip and looked down.

"So we won't bother you." There was a long pause where Ratchet was just staring at her in disbelief to what he heard. "Anyways, this way we both don't have to suffer the horror of Sam's unbearable snoring." She gave him a smile then pressed the elevator button. When she got to the next level she could hear Ratchet yelling below her.

"Yes, well, is it really safe for you to be sleeping up there?" He sounded genuinely concerned. It was a true development in their relationship.

"I reinforced the railing with metal sheets so we can't roll off the side." Artemis yelled down the looked at the little corner of walk way that she made into a haven. She had already brought up the mattress and blankets so it looked like a bedroom. She put the boxes of clothes in a row behind the bed as if it were a dresser. A bucket of water on top of an empty box with toothbrushes next to them lied a few inches from the foot of the bed which marked the makeshift sink.

"Hmm." Ratchet watched her moves boxes toward the fenced off area of the upper level. "Hey, um, could I speak with you for a moment?" Artemis was taken back and looked down at him.

"Alright." By the time she got down there he was over near sick bay. She hung on the railing as he attempted to find words.

"Well, I was, I mean, if you want to talk you can talk." He said awkwardly and at first she just stared at him.

"You were a field medic…during the war for Cybertron, right?" She bit her nail wondering if it was appropriate to bring up such a subject.

"Yes, yes I was." Ratchet raised his eyebrow suspiciously.

"So…you must have seen a lot of good bots…decease." She walked over to a box of books, ones she all owned, and brought over a journal.

"Yes, I did." He said with a depressing tone. Opening her journal, Artemis opened up the journal a few pages in.

"Primus sends memories to me and not all of them are very…exciting. Some are painful and saddening. This book I filled with the names of the Autobots I saw K.I.A." Folding the cover of the journal to the back, she read off a few names then stopped. "I get other memories of them, good memories, before I see them pass. I get attached to them before I see them die." Artemis stopped trying to remember her point. "I want to know more. I want to know they didn't die in vain."

Ratchet didn't reply right away. He was a little lost in the names that were read off to him, matching the faces as they echoed in his head. Then he looked down at Artemis who looked almost gloomier then he. He realized then that she wanted answers and closure that perhaps he could provide.

"I can, I will, help as much as I can." Ratchet said sheepishly. She smiled and laughed nervously. Artemis was about to say something more, but then the others drove in from there day.

"Whew, that was tough." Sam groaned, pulling a full backpack over her shoulder. "I'm exhausted." Bulkhead transformed after Sam got out and rubbed his neck. Bringing Sam to Miko's then both of them to school, patrol, picking Sam up from school only to have to go back and pick Miko up from detention seems a bit too much for him.

"I feel bad for making you push yourself so hard Bulkhead." Artemis stood at the stairs in complete concern.

"Ah, I'm fine. Nothing a Wrecker can't handle." He laughed though he was noticeably tired.

"Wait, Wrecker! Bulkhead! I totally forgot! You should take us to see Wheeljack!" Sam shouted and looked over at Rafael who smiled at the thought.

"Wheeljack, he's here?" Artemis all off a sudden felt dizzy and held onto the railing near the stairs.

**Artemis POV**

I could see my eyes through the reflection of the machinery near the stairs, they were blue. The actual scenery around me became blurry and I could barely hear anyone talking anymore. Finally, I saw Wheeljack shooting at a Decepticon who was firing back at him. Everything went blurry again and then I saw him standing with all the bots. I could hear Wheeljack talking to them.

"Maybe I should explore, see if this rock suits me." He smiled at his partner Bulkhead which smiled at him back.

"You'll need an earth based vehicle form." Bulkhead gave a little laugh while Wheeljack pondered the suggestion then smiled. Before I knew it, I could see everyone staring at me, Sam particularly standing in my face.

"Artemis you okay? Was it a memory?" Sam knew all about my memories and by this time could tell the signs of when it occurred.

"I agree, I think we should go talk to Wheeljack." I said to them ignoring Sam's concern which she took as a sign that everything was alright. "We can ask him to be your guardian Sam."

"Wheeljack, be a guardian for a human? That'll be the day." Ratchet laughed sarcastically.

"I know Wheeljack's type. He craves excitement. I think after meeting Sam, he'd jump at the chance to be with her." I looked at Ratchet who didn't seem convinced then looked at Bulkhead who shared a similar facial expression.

"Well, alright, after I pick up Miko, we can go see him. I'm sure he could use a familiar face anyways." Bulkhead finally said reluctantly.

**Canyon 10 Klicks North**

Artemis stood in front of the others in her armor. She could not risk being out in the open without taking the proper precautions. In fact, she already felt as if earlier on the way here that she was exposed. Sam was so excited that Miko and Bulkhead together could barely contain it. It wasn't till she could see the Jackhammer in the sky.

"He's here, he's here." Sam ran up to join Artemis to watch Wheeljack land. They managed to locate a spot for him to hide his ship on his visit. When Wheeljack landed and exited the flyer, Sam was all over him. Circling him like vulture while talking so fast that her words were nonsense.

"Who's this kid?" He backed up when she stopped and began inching towards him. Miko wrapped her arms around Sam to calm her down which was a nice change of pace.

"That's Sam; she's living with us back at base." Bulkhead gestured for to his partner who came in a pounded his fist.

"You're Wheeljack! Oh my gosh, Artemis look it's his signature grenade!" Before Sam could continue, Artemis clamped a hand over her mouth and drew her back.

"She's a big fan of you. Your stories are what keep her going sometimes. Though she can be overbearing at times, so be patient with her." She screamed up to him which made Sam become extremely embarrassed. Wheeljack let out a laugh and brought his hand away from its place on his hip.

"I'll keep that in mind." He looked over at Miko who was beaming up at him as well. "You keeping my favorite Wrecker in one piece?"

"More or less." Miko held one of her elbows and began swaying back and forth. Artemis stepped forward and let go of Sam. Wheeljack immediately took notice to that and became acutely aware of her threatening his personal space.

"I need to ask you something Wheeljack. Not to be disrespectful since we just met, but I need to ask a favor of you." She pointed up at him. "And I know that, being a Wrecker, you'll get the job done." He let out a small chuckled.

"What's the favor?" Wheeljack crossed his arms and noticed Bulkhead seemed aware of what the human girl was going to ask.

"I want you to be my Samantha's guardian." She stepped out on a limb, hoping that he would completely shoot the idea right off the bat.

"Do I look like a babysitter?" It was obvious that the job didn't appeal to him. Though, Wheeljack did not give a disgusted look but one of interest.

"Looking after two hyperactive teenage girls is too much for one bot, even for a Wrecker like Bulkhead. I feel bad for him to have to be both of the girls' guardian bot when he is only one bot." This was the part where she tied his connection with Bulkhead into perhaps guilt tripping him into doing what she wanted him to do.

There was a long silence in which Wheeljack was looking between Artemis, Sam, Miko, and Bulkhead. Artemis on the other hand kept her eyes on his expression. She could tell that he was mauling it over. Though, she wasn't certain what it was that appealed to him.

"Alright." Everyone's jaws just dropped when his words drifted in the air. Bulkhead was the one who was the most surprised with his partner's agreement. "On one condition."

"I'm listening." Artemis was relived he was being cooperative since his reputation was that he was a bit stubborn.

"Beat me in something." His smile was wide and opened his arms wide. "Anything, just do something better than me and I'll be the kids guardian."

"Anything hm?" Artemis looked around, but the others were a bit concerned.

"Forget it Artemis, I'll just walk to school. You can beat a bot; he's twice the size as you." Sam put a hand on her shoulder while Miko grabbed the other.

"Bulkhead can take Sam to school; I'll just get my host parents to take me to school. Sam just goes back to the base anyways so she only needs a guardian for the times between school." Miko looked over at Sam who nodded.

"It doesn't matter, I can handle it Artemis. It's fine, I'm fine. Just don't worry about it." Bulkhead insisted, but by then it was too late. Artemis already had an idea.

"Engineering." She announced in between the bickering of the others to her opponent. She pointed to the Jackhammer. "Bulkhead, blast both thrusters identically. Wheeljack, we're both going to repair the damage. Any good engineer can fix anything with a torch, a little sealant, and spare wire."

"Artemis, listen. Wheeljack is pro at engineering, especially on his own ship." Before Bulkhead could finish, he noticed Artemis' smile that was firmly planted on her face.

"I know what fun would it be if I tried to beat him at something he's NOT good at." She gestured toward Miko and Sam as she continued to speak. "Sam, Miko, go get my welder and tell Ratchet we need some supplies. We'll start as soon as we have enough supplies for the both of us."

**Hours Later**

Artemis and Wheeljack stood on opposite sides of the flyer. The damaged thrusters were almost completely identical. Bulkhead had spread the word to the others, minus Optimus who seemed to be out Energon scouting, and the joined to watch the match. Sam held a blow horn in her right hand looking between the two of them. Artemis was propped up on a lift so that she could get going with repairs right as the horn blew.

Wheeljack accepted Bulkhead to help pass her the supplies as long as he would stay silent as she worked. The rules, complete repairs to the thruster before the other, no sabotage aloud. Artemis looked over at Sam who was to start them by the horn.

"Alright, three, two, one." Sam blew the horn and the two opponents got to the grind stone. Wheeljack looked as if he knew what to do right away while Artemis paused for a second and reviewed the damage before starting. The humming sound of the welders against metal echoed in the canyon.

Bulkhead watched eagerly as she grabbed piece after piece from his hand with amazing strength. The most amazing part was that he had nothing to comment on, she was performing every step with correct precision. Wheeljack was working by himself and now and again looked over at the other side to find Artemis hard at work.

The minutes drag on into hours of vocal silence, only the sound of them working on the wiring of the thrusters. Sam was rather surprised to see despite Artemis' obvious disadvantage in size; she was working just as quickly as Wheeljack. The sun was running out of worth wile light so many of the Autobots turned their headlights on for the competitors to continue working. Wheeljack was finishing up the last wire when the blow horn sounded. He stopped and looked over at Sam.

"What's the big idea?" He huffed a little annoyed, but then saw Artemis standing next to her. His mouth parted in disbelief.

"Artemis is done." Sam smiled and hugged her tightly. Wheeljack looked at his own work before walking over to the other thruster. The panel that was removed in order to expose the damage was replaced marking completion. He looked back over at Artemis who was smiling at his reaction.

"Why don't you try it out?" She said which caused him to think she was toying with him. Despite that, he went inside to test the repaired thruster. To his surprise, it worked swimmingly. When he came back out, Artemis had pushed Sam closer to him. "She has to get at school before 7a.m and has to be picked up at 2:30p.m. Other than that, it's all up to you what you do with her, but she has to be back at base before 10:00p.m."

"Right." He simply said defeated, but then smiled which somewhat surprised everyone. "You got some real spunk, I never would have thought."

"Call me complicated." Artemis smiled, from the very beginning she knew that's what she would have to be, Unyielding, daring, and a little wild. Because that was how you dealt with a Wrecker. Wheeljack knelt down as far as possible and began to talk with Sam; they would be spending a lot of time together.

**Aboard the Nemesis**

"You located her?" Megatron asked his trusty spy as he walked into the control room. Soundwave brought up a photo he took of the human standing with a second human and the Autobot called Bulkhead in a canyon. "Which explains why you did not seize her, but why do you dare return to me empty handed regardless?"

"Megatron, I didn't think I would ever see such magnificence in my entire life." An unknown voice echoed from behind Soundwave, who stepped aside for his master to see. The voice belonged to a human suited up in black and purple metallic armor. Megatron believe the armor to remind him of a Decepticon, which made him curious of the human.

"How did you get on my ship?" He almost growled out. Something as lowly as a human to be on his ship disgusted him.

"I have ways, but the question you should be asking is why." The human removed the helmet that had covered her face till now. Megatron noticed a striking resemblance to the very human they were trying to track down with the human standing before him. "I request an audience with my lord."

"'My Lord'? You're bold to suggest that you have any affiliation with me, human." He looked at her for a long time and found that the markings on this one girl were different to those they were trying to find. "Proceed."

"For years I have been searching for you Lord Megatron. For the soul purpose of serving you; it is my destiny. As for how I would be useful, you may only need to look at markings on my face and arm." She removed her gauntlet to show him the markings that were on her arm. "Unicron was my teacher, but it is obvious that you are the one and only ruler of darkness since his passing. Allow me to use my gifts, my knowledge, and my resources to assist you in any way possible, my liege."

Megatron thought about her request deeply. The human had proven she was indeed advanced in her species by simply getting aboard the ship. The markings intrigued him and with her knowledge of Unicron, she must have some vital intelligence to offer. There was question she did not answer which gave him the most chance of allowing her to stay.

"You bare quite a resemblance to a 'guest' we had aboard the ship. She, too, had markings on her flesh. Do you bare a relation with her?" He noticed her body become tense for a moment then a smirk crawl across her face.

"She was once one I called my sister, but destiny had turned us enemies. I had her blood tinted on my fingers and thought her dead until ten years prior to our meeting today when I felt her presence." She bowed her head to him once more. "If you want her, I will gladly bring you her head."

"I am sure you are not suitable for such task, but I will allow you to attempt since you clearly bear scorns against her." Megatron could see he could gain a lot from the human and once she ceased being useful she would be easy to kill. "What is your name my new ally?"

"Mira. My name is Mira." Mira smiled up at her master then mumbled under her breath. "And so the curtain rises on me, and shall fall on my dear sister."


	6. Ch 6: The Message

The Human Prime

Chapter 6: The Message

Artemis lay on the couch, her head stuck in a book. However, she was not reading, but thinking. Her mind stuck on the incomplete armor that lay on the coffee table beside her. If only she had spare metal to make her chest piece. Then Ratchet accidently dropped a repair piece on the ground which made her brain spark into action. She shot up and looked at him.

He was shaking his head at the dented piece in her servo, but began to use it for repairs anyways. She got closer to his work and found him constructing a claw like device from scratch. Most likely it was a piece that had been broken a while ago that could not be salvaged, but reconstructed. Artemis thought about waiting instead of interrupting him, but it would not lay to rest.

"Ratchet." He huffed in response which made her believe he heard her. "Do you have any spare metal lying around that I can use?" He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her with a questioning look. "Like, heavy metal, not the light stuff I used for the railings."

"For what?" Ratchet didn't wait for the answer before returning to his work. She looked back at her armor then at Ratchet.

"I need it for my armor. I have one final piece to make." He hummed in response again and continued his steady work. Artemis waited patiently for his answer knowing that he wouldn't answer right away. When he remained silent for more time then she would have liked, she went in for the kill. "There are some things that Optimus cannot protect me from.

Ratchet stopped, but did not look at her. He put down his tools and sighed heavily. She knew he didn't have a reason to believe her. They have only been living there for a few days and didn't have a chance to really talk about anything. To her surprise, Ratchet extended his hand towards her.

"Come on, I'm sure we have something."

**Artemis POV**

When Ratchet brought me to the back where they kept most of the supplies, I didn't expect to find a metallic paradise. I stood open jawed at the stacks of parts and sheets of titanium and iron. I had to stop myself from drooling it was so beautiful.

"Will this suffice?" Ratchet extended his hand towards the room and I nodded dumbly. He began to walk away, but paused and turned his head towards me. "Just don't use it all and don't play around."

"You have my word Ratchet." I said to him and watched him nod then leave. With him away I began testing metals for perfection, looking at wires with exact or extra length, boards for quality. I was a girl on a mission; not even Ratchet's screaming could make me stop.

Now and again I did stop and hear a whispering. I attempted to ignore it because I was busy with important work, but when I did it would seem to get louder. Hearing voices wasn't good. It meant that a memory was slowly beginning to show itself, and slow occurring ones were never happy, or Primus needed to tell me something, urgently. Under normal circumstances, I would stop what I was doing and attempt to dream so I could talk to him, but this was an opportunity that I could pass up; at least gathering the materials.

For the rest of the time I ignored the whispers and gathered what I needed. I would cringe now and then when the whispered turned into loud rumbling. Even during my walk back to the main room, I attempted to keep perfectly normal and pretend everything was fine. Though, when I got back and sat on the couch to try and attempt contact, the whispers were gone.

**Many Hours Later**

Artemis worked tediously on the new armor piece in complete silence. Ratchet, not used to such silence from a human, even checked up on her to make sure she was still alive time and again. Sometimes on such a checkup, she would smile at him and hold up her welder or clamp.

When she was finished with the outer shell, she began on the technological enhancements which she would reference to some notes she took on Primus' teachings when she had trouble remembering. Though, Artemis had found herself looking less and less in the books and becoming more reliant on plain memory. When she would stop to give her hands and concentration a rest, she pulled out her deceased Autobots book and began thinking of the emblems she would put on the back. The front, she decided, would be dedicated to the Autobot logo.

During the time she was finishing her work, she heard loud buzzes and laughter. Artemis raised her head to find Rafael and Bumblebee in the base. Looking at her watch, she found it wasn't time for school to end and stood up. Raf was not the type to skip school for any reason.

"Rafael, what are you doing here so early?" Artemis looked almost worried. She wasn't his mother, but she couldn't help but feel responsible for him.

"Oh, my mom had an eye doctor's appointment for me today. We got done late so she let me stay home for the rest of the school day. I had Bumblebee pick me up. I'm sorry, was I too loud?" He frowned knowing that he was laughing rather loudly upon entering the base.

"No, no, it's fine. I was just curious, that's all." She smiled at him. Such a young boy being so polite and responsible, her hopes were that he would never lose that as innocence lessens with age.

"Your hands are burnt, are you working on something?" He pointed to her hands which had a few red marks, but nothing serious.

"Well, yes. Come here, let me show you." Artemis never had the joy of showing off her work to anyone, but Sam, who wasn't great company some times. "This is a chest plate for my armor. It'll protect my chest and back from blaster fire and any other aggressive advance."

"You have armor?" He looked at the chest plate which seemed to be incomplete, but almost finished. She had forgotten that he had never seen her fully clothed in her armor.

"Yes, it's for battle against the Decepticons and… other dangerous beings." Artemis hesitated to tell him anything about what she had to go up against.

"You made this all by yourself? That's so cool!" Raf beamed at the glistening armor as if it were a holy grail. She smiled and believed him to be great company.

"Yeah, and I got something else too." She went to a pile of boxes and pulled out from behind them a metal board, complex in nature with no wheels.

"What's that?" He took the board as she handed it to him.

"You know those hover boards from science fiction movies? Those, accept better." She smiled as he began to shout in hyped up excitement.

"Can I ride it sometime?" He asked in a polite manner, but she frowned a little.

"Well, my boots magnetize to the board so you don't get jerked off. It wouldn't be safe for you to ride on it by yourself, but I would be happy to give you a ride sometime. It's easy to fit two people on it at once, just the matter of foot position." She saw that his joy did not change when he heard he could not ride alone, but an expression of complete acceptance. It seems he wasn't much for excitement or danger, but was more into the mellow situations. Though, a scientific device like this one was an exception to the rule. "Maybe tomorrow, when you get home from school, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded then looked at the TV. Artemis immediately noticed his attraction to the device and moved the coffee table away so that he could have free use of it. "Um, would you mind playing a game with me?"

"A game?" She saw him hold up a controller when she realized he meant video games. He must not have a lot in common for he was younger than the others, but for the most part was left alone. He must be crazing some interaction from someone other than his trust friend Bumblebee. Looking at her work she figured she could spare a few moments. "Sure, why not."

Artemis sat down next to Rafael and listened as he explained the button uses for the particular game. She nodded occasionally to express that she was with him. Then they began their video game battle royal.

**Night Time**

Sam got out of the race car and jumped up as Wheeljack transformed. She was obsessively loud despite Jack and Rafael trying to hush her down. She had been driving around with Wheeljack the entire day and the drive did not affect her jolt of energy. In fact, it put it into overdrive.

"Artemis, Artemis, you wouldn't believe it! Wheeljack must have hit two hundred miles per hour!" Sam ran up the stairs, but instead of seeing her Artemis' smiling face and rolling eyes, she found her fast asleep on the couch, screw driver in her lap. Sam immediately covered her mouth with her hands.

"She fell asleep around the third round between Miko and me." Jack whispered half way up the stairs. Sam nodded and backed away slowly, but unfortunately she stepped on a stray wrench which caused a lot of clatter. Artemis groaned and shifted her head up slowly.

"Sam, that you?" She rubbed her neck and looked right at Sam. "Where you run off to?"

"Wheeljack took me for a joy ride. It was great!" Sam almost screamed then Artemis waved her to settle down. Sam covered her mouth again and lowered to a whisper. "Sorry."

"Thanks for entertaining her Wheeljack." She gave a genuine smile to the Wrecker who was preparing to head to his ship for the night.

"No problem, see ya tomorrow." He smirked then transformed and drove out the entrance. Artemis waved at him as he left then rubbed her eyes.

"Artemis, don't you want to hear about my day?" Sam watched her wobble towards the elevator. "Or help me with my homework?" She coughed indiscreetly.

"When you're done with your homework and no, try it and then ask me for help." Artemis noticed Optimus come in from his scouting and her curiosity peeked. She bypassed Sam and made her way straight to Optimus, leaning against the railing. "You've been out all day."

"I'm afraid in vain. I did not locate any knew Energon deposits." He sounded almost depressed and who could blame him. He had the others to take care of, a whole unit to supply Energon to. Even if the unit was rather small.

"I'm sure one will turn up sooner or later. One must simply look for it. If you want, I can help you look for one tomorrow." She saw his face turn a little puzzled, as if he was thinking whether to accept or decline the offer. "Optimus, please, let me help."

"Alright, I suppose I could use some assistance." He finally said while sighing from exhaustion.

"Thank you." Artemis smiled at him before noticing the others beginning to leave. She looked at Rafael in which she promised a ride to. "Just as long as I can keep my promise too."

**Tomorrow Afternoon**

Artemis slipped on her armor after taking a short break from Energon scouting. Optimus was about to head out as Bumblebee drove in from school. Rafael jumped out from the car and saw her standing with the board under her arm.

"Optimus, I'll see you later, okay? Don't push yourself to hard." She smiled as he gave her a nod and left through the ground bridge. He knew of the promise she had made Raf yesterday. "Okay, ready Rafael?"

"How do you ride that thing with no wheels for balance?" He watched her come down the stairs and toss the board onto the ground.

"Well, a few safety procedures to go over first." She pointed to her boots. "My boots can magnetize to the board, but you won't be able to stay on if we jerk or turn. I'm going to have my arm across your chest, you hold onto that arm."

"Okay." He nodded and watched her point to the points on the boards.

"Now, when I get on, I'm going to help you on. I want you to put your right foot to the left of mine where your toe matches up with the back of my heel. Your left foot she line up with mine to the right of it. Understand so far?" She saw him nod and she nodded back. "And relax; it's just like hacking a computer."

Rafael laughed and waited as she mounted the board and got it warmed up. In only a few seconds the board began floating off the ground with Artemis on top. She took a minute to balance herself before reaching out for Rafael's hand. Rafael took her hand reluctantly, but did just as he was instructed. Amazingly, it wasn't bad; in fact it felt like he was light as a feather.

"You ready?" Artemis asked which he nodded and squeezed her arm tightly. "Ratchet, we'll be back later. Make sure everyone knows I didn't spontaneously combust. Okay?" Ratchet waved his head towards her in signal that he got it. She slipped on her visor so that she could test out a few modifications as they rode. "Hold tight."

With that, she leaned forward on the board and it zoomed past Bumblebee, who followed them in vehicle mode. She couldn't help, but smile at the young boy clinging to her arm who was grinning in deep delight as well. It was times like these that she was happy to have a visor for the wind whipped around her and she wasn't sure if she could take the full force of it blowing in her eyes. Rafael luckily had his body tucked in towards hers so his exposure to the wind was minimal.

"Faster?" He asked which shocked her completely. However, she nodded and shouted above the raging wind.

"This will be my version of a 'maximum overdrive.'" Quoting her Autobot friends amused not on her, but Raf. She stepped her left foot off the board for a second then placed it about an inch lower than her last position. On cue, the board shifted into an entirely new gear. Bumblebee was left in her dust since he had no clue that she was going into overdrive, but he immediately change his speed to keep up.

"This is so cool!" He screamed as loud as his tiny voice could go. When Rafael was completely preoccupied with the speed, she began to check out her features.

"Hey Ratchet, you there?" She said into the headset's new com-link feature. There was a long pause then finally she got a response.

"Artemis? You found a way to get a communications link to our base?" His voice came in a little buzzy, but she managed to get it all.

"Just a few tweaks to my headset and it were ready to go, though it was hard to match its channel and frequency. Can you find my position?" Again she waited for him to confirm the life signal she programed into her chest plate and the computers back at base. If all when well, he could be able to read her vitals and find her location from where he stood at the computer's keys.

"Yes, I can. I also can see your heart rate is beating quickly, Are you in trouble?" He sounded so worried, how sweet of Ratchet.

"No, just been awhile since I felt the rush of hover boarding. I'll be back later; you know how to reach me now if you need me." With that she hung up. Rafael seemed to have enough with going straight. Now, it was time for some real fun.

At **Canyon**

Sam was sitting in the driver's side of the radical car. She smiled and looked out the window as were getting close to where Wheeljack had got beaten by Artemis. They were going to where he hid the Jackhammer for safe keeping not too far from that point. It would give them something to do until Jack got out of work and Miko got out of detention. Suddenly, Wheeljack stopped which alarmed her.

"Why'd you stop Jacky?" Sam unbuckled and got out, him immediately transforming.

"Look." Wheeljack pointed to a huge black box of metal at least a third of the size as he was. She ran up to it without thinking and he was unsuccessful to stop her. "Looks like it has Cybertronian markings on it." He drew his blade from where it mounted behind him and poked the box.

"Hey, these are the kind of things Artemis draws on her books and stuff. She must have made it." She traced her fingers over the purple markings. "Not to mention it's too small for a bot or a bot invention, isn't it?"

"If you insist that smarty pants friend of yours made it, it shouldn't be dangerous, but why put something like that way out here." He put his blade back behind him.

"Maybe it was supposed to be a surprise gift or something. Come on let's bring it back to base!" She pushed it, but wasn't surprised when it didn't budge.

"Wait, if it's a surprise, wouldn't doing that ruin the surprise?" Wheeljack raised his metal brow which she only waved him off.

"That's the point. She's like my sister; I ruin my like-sisters surprises and make it not a surprise anymore. Come on let's haul this thing back to base." As instructed, Wheeljack picked up the giant cube and contacted Ratchet to bridge them to base.

**At Base Soon After**

Sam, Jack, and Miko all stood in front of the block pondering the contents. Ratchet, after seeing what Wheeljack brought in, was eager to examine it. As he put it, it seemed different than something Artemis would make. When Miko and Jack got back from their previous engagements, Optimus too returned from his scouting bring back little result.

"Maybe it's like a helper, to clean stuff and stuff." Sam knocked on it and only heard a slight echo as if there were spaces inside.

"Does this look anything you use on Cybertron? I mean if Artemis knows a lot about it, she could make something of that nature right?" Jack asked, but Arcee shook her head.

"Nothing like this, it doesn't ring a bell." She looked over at Ratchet and Optimus who admitted they have never seen such a device.

"Man Jacky, it's never a dull moment with you around." Bulkhead slammed his servo against Wheeljack's back which he took as a compliment.

"Yeah well you know me, the exciting follows me like a scraplet." He returned to watching the kids poke at the mysterious cube.

"I wonder what Artemis made this time!" Sam squealed then heard footsteps coming through the tunnel. Rafael and Bumblebee came walking in, Bumblebee breaking off away to sit down. Rafael came by the other kids and looked up at the odd box too.

"What is it that I made this time?" Artemis asked she walked in from the tunnel, taking off her headset. When she got the hair out of her face, she stopped dead in her tracks. The first thing her eyes laid on was the black box covered in purple markings and every alarm in her body went off at once. She dropped her headset and waved her arm. "GET AWAY FROM THAT NOW!"

**Artemis POV**

Right as I screamed, the box transformed. It was a vicious, skeletal looking beast that reminded me somewhat of a tiger. I stumbled back to get a shot as it leapt forward towards me, the Autobots stunned and still trying to react to what just happened. Before I could ready my blaster for a well enough shot, the beast locked its jaws around my left arm. My gifted arm; it was at the point that I realized it was made to get the Matrix shard away from me and wouldn't activate until I was nearby.

The beasts claws skidded across the floor of the base, unable to get a good enough grip to stop. Due to that fact, it crashed me first into the wall. I could feel my head begin get wet with a sticky liquid. I knew right away that I was bleeding. The bots struggled to attack for if they shot or sliced and missed they could definitely kill me.

"Get off me!" I yelled furiously at the beast who only seemed to shake me harder and this time scraping me against the wall. It growled and snarled and I could feel its teeth sinking into my arm deeper and deeper. Either this thing had to get off my arm or my arm was going to get off me.

"Artemis!" Sam was screaming in the background and I knew in the back of my head that she was going to faint from the puddle of blood that was forming beneath me. I regained my bearings and hoisted myself up on the beast's muzzle.

"I said GET OFF!" I jammed my blaster against its optics, right where it would fry the brain if the blast went through, and let loose. The beast immediately dropped my and stumbled back, it looked walked like a chicken with its head cut off. Optimus put the thing out of its misery, slicing the monster in two. Wheeljack as a sympathetic gesture crushed its head beneath his foot for good measure.

"Are you okay? Dude that's a lot of blood." Miko was the first to run up to me, but I stopped her short so she wouldn't step in my blood. I felt the back of my head with my good hand and it felt like a very minor concussion.

"Jack, call your mom, tell her to bring LOTS of stiches." He nodded, already dialing. "Rafael, go get a mop and bucket please." Rafael complied and ran off to find the mop and bucket. "Miko-" I could see Sam beginning to rock a little. "MIKO CATCH SAM!" Miko just managed to catch Sam before she hit the ground. Everyone was very surprised on how calm I was being about all this. Guess they forgot my sister stabbed me in the chest.

**Sam POV**

I saw the blood leaking from her. It was everywhere. In my mind, I could see it splattering on me. My brain panicked as if she were already dead. My breathing hitched even after the beast was destroyed and Wheeljack gave the final blow. I was shaking; it was just like my father's incident all over again.

I could hear the screaming of the people around me as my father hit the ground with several gun shots in his torso. Then I could see blood, everywhere. It was like a horror film. It was just everywhere. I thought I stopped breathing as my body tilted back and forth.

"MIKO CATCH SAM!" I could hear in the background, but I didn't know who said it or where they were. The last thing I felt was arms hooking under my own and then everything went black.

**Coming to**

Artemis noticed Sam begin to stir and put her good arm's hand on top of her forehead. She wasn't scared more than concerned that it would take her very long to wake up. June scolded Artemis about running off and taking her food before tending to the wounds then sat back in surprise as she told her how quickly her body healed.

Optimus and Ratchet were examining the remains of the beast and came to the conclusion that it was human made, but were stumped by the Cybertronian writing. The writing unfortunately had become unreadable after the monsters destruction.

"Artemis, you're okay." Sam groaned and took her hand. "Well for the most part." She looked at the wounded arm and found it bandaged heavily.

"I'll survive." Artemis got off Sam's metal bed and walked over to the damaged beast. "It looks like whoever made it made off of junkyard scraps."

"So?" Wheeljack was kneeling beside Sam's bed, comforting her.

"Meaning it wasn't meant to last to long." She heard Ratchet gasp which made everyone turn towards him.

"This monstrosity was fueled…by dark Energon." He stepped away from it and went to find something to contain the substance. She got closer and touched what was leaking from its severed body. The contact made me feel woozy and my left arm stung.

"Made by a human…fueled by dark Energon." Artemis stood up and placed a hand over her face.

"What's wrong Artemis?" Sam leaned up from where she laid. Artemis folded her arms and turned to Sam.

"This beast was meant to kill me and take the matrix shard. It was made by a human and was fueled by dark Energon with unreadable Cybertronian script." She gritted her teeth and looked back at the beast. "This thing was made by my sister."


	7. Ch 7: Only By Blood

The Human Prime

Chapter 7: Only By Blood

Mira watched Soundwave's screen. The scene playing over and over gave her great pleasure. From where she was perched on his shoulder, she could tell that the scene brought much joy to her master as well. A girl accompanied by a large bot taking her beast, A.K.A "Ransig," into the confines of their base.

"I am pleased that my ticker toy could be of so much use to you, my lord." She felt a chuckle rumble through his body which made her smirk. Soundwave stopped playing the recording her took of the event and extended a hand towards her to remove herself from his master's shoulder. She complied and jumped into his palm then turning towards Megatron.

"Who knew it would be so easy to fool that girl." He turned and went back to his position in front of the room.

"I am sure that the message has been sent by now. My sister is most likely out looking for me right now." She saw him turn his head towards her voice in acknowledgement. "Alone."

"Don't be so sure. While your sister might be as dimwitted to wonder out looking for you unaccompanied, Optimus is not one to abandon a defenseless creature of any source. If she is not followed by an Autobot knowingly then he would be on her tail in secret." He turned back to his screens, giving them his fool attention.

"My sister is without a temper, but I am not sure how the Matrix shared has affected her judgment. Perhaps I am wrong, maybe she will not stray, but even so, I am sure I can make her too unknowingly." Mira assured her master right as the door opened and another bot walked in.

**Mira POV**

I was new on the ship, so I didn't know many Decepticons aboard. Many looked the same and were nothing more than mere lackeys. This one stood out from the others in many ways. For one, his bold red color was an obvious cry to be center of attention. Next was wheels, he had a set. Decepticons were one to choose flight over driving.

"Dirt kisser." I growled underneath my breath to get it out of mu system. Though, despite his poor choice of limitation, he seemed striking. I suppose it was one thing he accomplished in his life, he looked great.

"Lord Megatron, you summoned me?" His optics drifted to me standing near Soundwave then back at Megatron's back. "Did you want me to take care of this…infestation?"

"You better watch it wheel grinder, MY bite is worse than my bark." I responded to his lack of disrespect.

"Why you little-"

"Knockout." My master said abruptly which made us all snap into attention. "You will examine our friend's…condition. You are not to harm her in any way, is that clear?"

"Wha- but…yes my lord." He looked at me again and I could tell he was enraged. Oh, it would be fun toying with him.

"You're the physician? No wonder Decepticons are sturdy built, you can't afford to break."

**Autobot Base**

Sam rubbed her head, saying goodbye to Wheeljack for the night. Miko, Jack, and Rafael saying there good byes as well so that they could return home and get some sleep. Artemis watched while sitting on the stairs, June lecturing her and feeling sorry for her all at the same time. Though, she was almost completely ignoring her.

"Are you sure you don't want to come home with me?" June folded her arms loosely, looking a little worried.

"I'll be fine here June, thank you for your help. I'll try and be more careful." Artemis said, but was focusing most of her attention on Sam.

"Alright, come on Jack, let's go home." June walked down the stairs and to her car. Artemis was extremely worried about Sam. The last time a situation like this one occurred, Sam had isolated herself.

"Artemis, are you going to go looking for your sister?" Sam said almost depressingly. Artemis gave a pause for thought before answering.

"Going after my sister would be senseless without gathering more Intel. If I know my sister, she'll show herself sooner or later anyway." She rubbed her shoulder of her wounded arm; serious strain had made it very sore. "Why don't you go to bed? I'm going to stay up for a while."

"Good Night." She said plainly and went to the elevator to sleep. Artemis waited until the door closed to let out a long heavy sigh followed by a sharp intake of breath.

"Are you in pain?" Optimus seemed to come out of nowhere, it was obvious that her head wasn't in the right place. She shook her head and tried standing, but moved to fast.

"I'll be fine, just dizzy, I'll be better tomorrow." Leaning against the railing, she made her way down to ground floor where Optimus picked her up gently. "I'm just trying to figure out where she could find the materials to build a complex creature like this one. I mean some of this stuff you can't find in a simple junkyard."

"I have a grave suspicion." He placed her on top of the computers. Ratchet was going over the listed blueprints of the beast.

"These listed parts here." Ratchet pointed at a group of parts. "Are parts that only existed on Cybertron."

"So if she didn't get them from us, then- scrap." Artemis covered her face. "My sister is aligned with the Decepticons."

**Dreaming**

I sat on Primus' shoulder thinking and sulking. Primus sensed this and decided to wait on his lesson. He brought his servo over and nudged my shoulder which made me jump. I smiled a little then frowned again.

"I didn't know it was going to be this difficult." I finally said which made Primus understand.

"Destinies usually are unexpected." He said with a slight grin. "But it is how you deal with it that makes you ready."

"I don't feel ready. Primus, my own sister tried to kill me twice. She's aligned with the Decepticons; I think when we finally get face to face, Megatron will have her head so twisted it'll be on backwards."

"Artemis, what makes you think that Megatron will say anything to her? Megatron is the newest variable in the equation. What was the excuse before?" Primus could be truly cold sometimes, but he was right. At the point there was no excuse, she was already twisted beyond compare.

"I'm torn because I know when the time comes…I'm going to have to kill my sister." My tears were welling up.

"When you're ready, I know you'll be able to do what is right." He wiped my tears kindly, knowing to well the feeling of fighting someone you have a close bond to. I gathered myself and looked back at the never setting sun.

"I shouldn't be ignorant just because I don't want to accept the circumstances. The fact remains, my sister is poisoned and she's twisted to the point of breaking. I just hope it is not too late to save her." I stayed silence for a long moment, just staring at the scenery. "Please, continue with your lesson Primus."

**Rafael's Home**

Rafael began packing his laptop into his backpack ready to spend his whole day with Bumblebee. Usually, he'd spend Saturday mornings with his mom, but since she was out on rare weekend business, he would get the chance to spend his time with his friend. When he went out to wait for Bumblebee on the sidewalk, he immediately felt uncomfortable.

The air felt dense and charged, as if he were standing in a sea of people rather than by himself. Rafael could feel eyes on him which caused him to look around nervously. Again he felt that tense feeling in the air then, which scared him deeply, something brushing against his neck which made him jump and turn.

Someone in dark black, grey, and purple armor was kneeling at his height behind him. Rafael noticed the Decepticon emblem etched in the center of the armor which made him almost scream. The person immediately smacked their claw-like, gauntlet-covered, hand around his mouth, holding it extremely tight.

"Hush, don't want to alarm the whole neighborhood, now do we?" The voice was female, but seemed almost irritated. She brought him closer and began to take off his backpack. Rafael tried desperately to get her to loosen her grip on his mouth, clawing at her hand with his fingernails. "Don't bother kid."

"Mira, we have to hurry. Bumblebee is on his way." Knockout drove up to them, opening his door. The girl, Mira, smirked at him as she pinned something on Raf's backpack.

"Despite your constant cowardice, I'm starting to like you K.O." She tossed Rafael into the passenger seat which Knockout tied him down nice and tight. Mira got in on the driver's side and leaned back in her seat. "Right, let's get moving." Knockout hit full gas and drove off with a screech.

Bumblebee came a few minutes later and noticed right away that something was wrong. He picked up Raf's backpack and buzzed sadly. He transformed putting the backpack in the back seat and screeched off to the base thinking maybe Optimus would have a plan.

**Autobot Base**

Artemis and Ratchet went over a map trying to pinpoint where her sister could be. Though, predicting the Decepticon's movements was as useless as Sam's attempt to beat Miko at video games. Optimus watched Artemis stand with maturity, arms crossed, head tall, and mind filled with realistic goals, in a way it worried him that someone so young was involved in such situations.

"No, Megatron wouldn't go to a place so highly populated." Ratchet pointed to another point on the map.

"Mira is physically challenges, she wouldn't go anywhere with such a high attitude." Artemis shook her head and pointed again. Sam tossed the controller on the table and groaned.

"This is impossible." She wiped her forehead as Miko handed the controller to jack and began a new game. "Hey Bumblebee!" She waved at him, but he looked like he was in a rush. Bumblebee buzzed and beeped in a panic, transforming and holding Rafael's backpack.

"What do you mean Rafael's been kidnapped?" Artemis turned with a serious expression; she saw Raf's backpack and felt anger rush through her quickly. "Bumblebee let me see that."

Bumblebee handed over the backpack. Jack, Miko, and Sam ran across the connecting hall over the where Artemis stood and began asking Bumblebee questions. Artemis was silent though. She unpinned a white mini envelope from the pack and set it down gently. Then, she leaned up against the table and opened the envelope.

The letter inside was lined in red. She panicked slightly, but then could smell the toxic sent of permanent marker. She could feel the paper was moist. Artemis thought of how twisted her sister had become. To actually drench the paper with the red magic marker so that it looked as if it were written in blood.

"What does it say?" Everyone turned to her, noticing the paper in her hand.

"'Red X marks the spot, right sis?'" Artemis read off the paper and tossed it on the ground. Everyone began bickering about what it meant, but she already knew. "Ratchet, lock onto these coordinates."

**Artemis POV**

_The Red X marks the spot, right sis? _The worlds were like poison on a page. I stared at my home, burnt into rubble and forgotten. I bet no one even comes up here anymore. It was hard to stare at the charred formation without breaking down, but I managed.

"Artemis?" I could hear Sam whispering to me in the background, but I didn't turn to look at her in fear I'd cry. I made my way through the rubble of my home, hearing the crunching of burnt furniture underneath me. I stopped when I heard glass shatter underneath my boot. I stepped back and saw our family photo cracked and charred, but still recognizable.

"What's that sound?" I said all of a sudden which made the others snap out of there locked gaze on me and begin looking around for the source of the sound I heard. It was a subtle sound, if everyone wasn't dead silent you wouldn't have heard it. It was the sound of snapping like dogs do when you dangle food in front of their noses.

"It's coming from over there." Arcee pointed towards the woods. It was the way to the crater. I could hear the snapping continue and I knew Mira would be there waiting there for me. I took off without a warning, I could hear Optimus calling after me telling me to wait, but I went anyways. I went even though it was against his better judgment and my own.

**Crater**

Mira stood at the far end of the crater, holding Rafael by a rope just above her new pack of Ransig clones that snapped at him from below. Even though Rafael's mouth was taped shut, she could still hear him whimper and cry as he brought his feet up from the beast's teeth. She was just about to get comfortable when Artemis emerged from the forest's cover.

"Artemis, my dear sister, you've finally made it! I thought I'd grow old just waiting for you to show up." Mira pulled up Rafael and plopped him on the side of the crater. The Ransig pack climbed up onto the ledge and sat by him, watching him.

"Mira, scaring a little boy is low, even for you." The Autobots finally caught up with Artemis, peering over at the masked figured on the other side of the large crater.

"I don't think it's that bad. I mean I did kill our parents…in cold blood." Mira held up her up her hands. "Let's not forget, your blood was on my hands at one point as well. I see you made sure not to make the same mistake twice." Artemis brushed her gauntlet covered hands over her chest plate; she could almost feel the pain of the knife cutting through her chest.

"Perhaps with you, taking appropriate precautions is necessary." She jumped into the crater, remembering it to be significantly shallower than when she was a child. The Autobots began to attempt following her, but Mira cocked her blasters and pointed it at Rafael.

"Ah, ah, ah, this is a family affair goody two shoes. Stay out of it or Spike-head here is lunch meat." Mira snapped her fingers, drawing the packs attention to begin snarling at the terrified boy at their feet. Artemis nodded at them signifying that it was okay then began walking towards her sister.

"Mira, listen. We are sisters, family. Come with me, I can help you. We can be a family again." Artemis extended her hand towards her sister as a final plea to her.

"You are right about one thing my sister." Mira watched her sister lower her hand cautiously. "We are sisters." She cut into her own hand and extended it towards Artemis. "But…Only by blood."

"Mira I-" Before Artemis could even finish, Mira began gunning at her. Sending round after around at Artemis without rest. Artemis covered her face as she came under blaster fire, bring her face mask as far up as she could bring it.

"You talk a lot of scrap my DEAR sister, let me show you what are bond is really." Mira jumped down into the crater, never stopping her offense as she advanced towards Artemis. With the blasting becoming more intense as she got closer and closer, Artemis brought out her blade and began deflecting the blasts.

**Autobot POV**

Optimus watched the girls beginning a heated battle against each other. Arcee was beginning to twitch in anger. Bulkhead began to blow off steam, yelling how Mira had backed them into a corner. Bumblebee, he was angrier then the set put together, was actually standing with worry watching the beasts nip at Rafael.

"Arcee, follow me." Optimus began to walk towards the woods. "The rest of you remain here."

"What are we supposed to do? Just sit back and watch while that twisted girl tries to punch holes into Artemis and intimidate Raf too!" Bulkhead snapped, but then tried to calm down.

"Arcee and I will recover Rafael." He finally said before the woods had completely concealed him.

"Bulkhead, Mira can't look up here and find us all gone. I'm sorry." Arcee ran after Optimus and Bumblebee buzzed angrily, really wishing to have gone with them.

"I know Bumblebee, but I think it actually is for the best. Bulkhead isn't very light on his feet and you're emotionally involved. At least we're here for Artemis if she needs us." Sam said almost sadly, wishing to have gone with as well.

"Ratchet, do you come in?" Bulkhead checked in with base while he waited knowing Optimus wouldn't try something that risky.

"Bulkhead, what is it? How's Rafael?" Ratchet responded almost immediately. Bulkhead could hear Miko yelling in the background asking something about putting the hurt on Mira.

"Ratchet, I think you better prepare sick bay."

**Artemis POV**

I was on my toes the entire time. I couldn't take breath, rest my feet, or lower my guard for a second. Mira pounded away with me with attack after attack after attack. I phrased dear Primus for my armor as she brought her blade across my chest several times leaving deep scratches.

I ducked under her swing hitting her behind her shoulder. My blows were innocent compared to hers. While she came at me with killer's intent, I returned with weak blows. Apart of me could not get past the simple fact that she is my sister, despite her 'only by blood' speech.

"Stop playing around with me!" Mira screamed at me angrily as if I were restraining myself to toy with her. As she screamed, she brought her right hand and lashed out at me. I instinctively let loose with my left hand, making our fists collide with each other. Mira and I watched as the energy of our gifts collided against each other visibly.

"Uh, oh." The energy created a backlash which sent us both flying backwards and soon after a small implosion causing a crater within the crater; what irony. I landed roughly and skidded across the hard ground. I used the momentum to roll myself back to my feet. Gripping my head tightly, I realized my visor had fallen off; I located it quite a distance behind me.

I didn't have time to retrieve it before I found Mira emerge from the smoke and charge at me, her helmet blown off as well.

**Bulkhead, Sam, and Bumblebee**

Sam's jaw dropped as Mira emerged from the smoke, the similarities were uncanny yet there were noticeable differences. Mira's eyes glowed red with an anger and insanity that she couldn't believe even existed.

Bulkhead thought about contacting Optimus, but then saw him across the crater, stripping a beast of its spine.

**Optimus POV**

When the blast from the colliding energy distracted the beast, Arcee and I took the opportunity to silence them for good. It was delicate work for we had to keep a watchful eye on both Rafael and Mira, but I managed to do so effectively.

In the back of my mind, I was keeping an eye on Artemis. Her position wasn't easy. To be fighting against a sibling in order to save a child from a danger she is not fully familiar with; it is something that no human should have to experience and yet it is her destiny to. As she put it, there were some dangers he could not protect her from. I knew now that this is what she meant.

We had little conversations about how she would have lessons with Primus and how he would talk to her about the battle between him and Unicron. I didn't realize it then, but she was secretly trying to tell me that that was what she was destined for. That she had to fight her sister over and over as long as it took in order to cast out the evil that consumed her. I think she knew as I do now, that someday that might mean taking her life. It was something that I knew; this was nothing a human girl should have to deal with.

**Artemis POV**

I held out my blaster as a defensive measure, but Mira had other plans. We fired at the same time causing us to fly backwards again, but this time it was a relief. I could hear Sam screaming in the distance, but I already knew what she was saying. I could see Optimus running on the side of the crater, Arcee behind him cradling Rafael in her servos.

I turned tail and ran towards Sam and the others; the ground bridge was already waiting for us. Mira was dumbstruck, looking back at her destroyed Ransig pack then at Optimus then at me. Before I knew it, she was chasing me down. I picked up my visor as I ran, but it slowed my down just enough for her to catch up.

It went by so fast; I didn't even register what I did until after. She lunged at me high, it seemed like her body towered over me. I lashed out at her out of reflex, the blade of my gauntlet tearing though her face like butter. She fell clutching her face, the blood was so thick I wasn't completely sure how deep I cut her. My rational brain caused me to ignore her grunting and growling and continue running.

My ears were ringing as she screamed loudly while I grabbed Sam's hand to help me up the crater. Before getting into the ground bridge, I looked back at her one last time. Seeing her face wasn't badly damaged, but her eyes showed obvious hatred for me. I left before she got up.

**Autobot Base**

Rafael hugged Miko and Jack hysterically when they got back to base before hugging Bumblebee long and hard. His face wet with tears as he tried to express his horrible experience. Sam cuddled the small boy's head and as tears dropped into his hair.

"I am glad you're back Rafael." Optimus exclaimed simply which everyone nodded in agreement.

"A big round of applause for Artemis, who-" Sam didn't finish when she saw Artemis wasn't celebrating. She was just staring at her blood stained fingers shocked as if the image had shot a bullet in her brain.

"Artemis, are you-" Rafael began, but she looked up at him and smiled. Removing her gauntlets, she brushed her hand through his hair expressing her joy that he was okay.

"It's late; you better get home before your parents worry." With that, she walked away up the stairs and into the elevator. The others just stared as the elevator doors closed on her sorrowful face.


	8. Ch 8: Bonds

The Human Prime

Chapter 8: Bonds

Sunday came so slowly and Sam watched the elevator closely for signs of Artemis emerging from her solitude anytime soon. Though, she figured she'd be waiting for a long time. Miko managed to distract her for a few hours with a video game tournament, but now she was back in front of the elevator.

"Hey, Sam let's go on patrol with Bulkhead. We'll get Wheeljack on it too, okay?" Miko gave a dramatic pose. "We'll ride rock band style."

"What if Artemis needs me? I want to be here if she needs me." Sam said without turning her head. Her frown was beginning to leave a crease in her face.

"Why don't you go ahead? I'll look after Artemis." Ratchet suggested, half wanting to get rid of the loud obnoxious children.

"You will?" She looked at him for a second then thought about it.

"Jack, come with too! We'll go find Raf and Bumblebee and have a party." Miko gave a thumb's up.

"I wouldn't mind burning some rubber." Arcee added which meant Jack was in. Sam looked at everyone then nodded and looked up at the walkway above one last time.

"Okay." Sam walked down the stairs and joined Miko in the car. With that, the base was empty besides Ratchet, Artemis, and Optimus. Ratchet looked at Optimus with a worried look which was a bit unlike him then looked up at the walk way.

"Artemis, the others are gone, why don't you come down here? I'd like to examine you for any injuries." Ratchet called up, but he got nothing, complete silence. "Optimus," He said in a very hushed tone. "I am afraid the battle with Mira has done quite bit a damage to her mental state rather than physical wounds."

"I would have to agree with you Ratchet. Though, I'm not sure how to reverse such affects." Optimus looked up and could see a strand of brown hair peeking out from the side of the makeshift wall.

"As a physician, I would say some rest and time. As a friend," Ratchet paused at the word realizing he did consider Artemis to be his friend. "I would suggest interaction."

"Interaction?" Optimus looked down at his old friend who purposed such an odd suggestion.

"Right now, I believe she is feeling unstable. Perhaps, knowing someone is there to have her back and to explain to her what is right from someone in a similar situation, will give her the stability she needs." He was about to continue before the elevator whirred and Artemis stepped out.

"You wanted to look at me?" Artemis said weakly and almost lifelessly. Ratchet nodded, quickly looked at Optimus, than offered a hand. She hopped on it respectfully as brought her over to sick bay for an examination.

**Decepticon Laboratory**

Mira traced the disappearing scar on her face. Lord Megatron was rather displeased that she didn't successfully capture much less bring him the head of Artemis. Though, a night's recharge seemed to lighten his mood on her and allow him to realize that she is only human, as ironic the phrase was.

"Watch it, your smudging my paint job." Knockout said with a grunt. He wasn't pleased to have to baby sit the human just as much as she wasn't pleased to have him as a partner.

"Hey, K.O, I don't think Airachnid is going to be here very long." She said abruptly which made him pause.

"Why do you say that?" He raised her eye brow at her which made her smile. At least she could entertain him enough to make him quit whining about his looks.

"Lord Megatron and Soundwave were conversing about her 'usefulness.'" She sharpened the claws on her gauntlets then jerked when the doors opened and Breakdown walked in. Mira rather enjoyed Breakdown's company; he was so easily enraged that it became an amusing activity. "Hey Pirate Breakdown, steal any good booty?" Breakdown only grunted, un-amused.

"What's wrong? You seem, distracted." Knockout said concerned. As friendship goes for Decepticons, those two were closer than any bot could be.

"Ah, just something Dreadwing asked me to help him with later." He assured him by waving his large servo his direction. Knockout and Mira exchanged glances then she gave him a toothy grin.

"Is this about Airachnid?" Knockout asked reluctantly.

"How'd you know?"

"Hush you two; if it is about the spider wretch, then we can't risk discussing it until after the situation is taken care of, could cause trouble for you in the end. Let's just agree that you have a job to do Breakdown." Mira exclaimed before jumping off Knockout's shoulder and heading off. "I need to speak to our dear lord Megatron."

**Autobot Sick Bay**

Artemis waited patiently as Ratchet looked over vitals and attempted to be certain she was in one piece. Though, as she had some to find out, his human medical knowledge was limited. With what kindness she could scrounge up from his depressive mood, she tried to explain to him anything that would be considered normal and what would not. She could see he was taking mental notes along with digital ones on the computer.

"Well, if what you say is correct, you seem to be perfectly healthy. A few burns on your face, but nothing serious." He finally allowed her off the metal slab.

"Thanks Ratchet." He loose t-shirt snagged on the bed in which she had to stop and release it.

"Artemis," Optimus' voice surprised her for she didn't know he was watching, but she nodded in recognition. "I could use your company on patrol today."

"Alright, I'll go get my armor." She said rather sadly as if the idea of wearing that bloody armor did not appeal or excite her.

"Not necessary, you will ride with me." His voice was as kind and as understanding as it could possibly be. Artemis paused then nodded.

"Let me change from my pajamas." She said shyly; she was so depressed she forgot to change clothes upon coming down from her 'bedroom.'

**Abandoned Back Roads**

Sam watched Wheeljack begin to pass Arcee from the passenger seat. She cheered him on as loudly as she possibly could. It was between Arcee, Jack, Wheeljack and herself now, Bulkhead, Miko, Bumblebee and Raf were already eating there dust. The final turn would lead them into the libraries parking lot and that point they would have to stop racing, but they were squeezing all the speed they could out of the unused back roads.

As the approached the final turn, Wheeljack pulled a skid that jumped them solidly in the lead. They swerved into a stop and Sam jumped out pointing at Jack. Bulkhead speeded in with Miko holding her phone out the window to snap a picture of the winner. Bumblebee came next, moving slowly considering Rafael didn't like to zoom down the road under such overwhelming danger that they would get in trouble.

"Ha, in your face! We win!" Sam did her victory dance then hugged Wheeljack's hood. "You're an amazing machine of raw horse power Wheeljack!"

"Alright, alright, you win." Jack said with a small laugh as he took off his helmet and fixed his hair. "Hey who's that?"

"Minnie, the owner of the library, A.K.A Artemis' boss." Sam tried to hide her face, by sticking her head back in the car, but Minnie was already calling her name heading over to their position. "Minnie, listen sorry about the noise, but we are OUTSIDE the library."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Listen, Artemis hasn't been showing up for work. Is she sick?" Minnie was holding a bulky envelope in her hands as she positioned them on her hips.

"Well, a lot has happened these few days. She's kinda taking a breather. Actually, she told me to come and see you today, tell you that she won't be at work for a while." Sam smiled loosely then looked over at the others for assistance, but they didn't comply.

"Well tell her to take all the time she needs. Also, tell her this. That I know she doesn't like taking it without working it off first, but that this does belong to her. Tell her she should just take it." Minnie handed the envelope to her. "Tell her also that more came in yesterday and to come and pick it up."

"Sure, Minnie, I'll make sure she knows." Sam smiled as Minnie nodded and walked away. She let out an annoyed sigh and leaned against Wheeljack's hood. "That lady."

"What's in the envelope?" Rafael walked up to Sam followed by Miko. Jack joined Sam on the hood looking down at the envelope.

"I don't know, let's see." Sam began to open it, but Arcee interrupted.

"Doesn't that belong to Artemis though? It wouldn't be right to open it." Arcee insisted, but Sam shrugged.

"Artemis lets me open her mail all the time. Besides, we don't hide anything from each other, whatever it is I probably already knew about it before." Sam opened the envelope and looked inside. Her jaw dropped instantly. "Woof."

**In Town**

Artemis sat straight in the large truck, remaining eerily quiet for quite some time. Her eyes stared so intensely at the scenery that Optimus was positive that she was looking way beyond it. Before he could even think of what to say to her, he pulled into driver thru.

"Welcome to K.O Burger, May I take your order?" The voice startled Artemis out of her daze as she looked at the steering wheel.

"Humans need to eat, isn't that correct?" Optimus explained and on cue, Artemis' stomach growled. She smiled then leaned out the window to place her order. After picking up the food, they were on the road again. Even though her stomach was clearly growling and hungry, she ate only a few bites every time she came out of her thoughtful daze.

"Optimus, what are you doing?" She finally asked before taking another bite of her burger.

"I'm comforting a friend." He answered which made her stop mid bite to think he considered her a friend. Not a child, not a liability, a friend, an equal. "Sam was waiting for you by the elevator this morning."

"I know I don't want to burden her with my problem though. There to complicated, she wouldn't understand." Artemis took the final bite of her burger then leaned against the seat.

"Why do you say that?"

"Before I found Sam, Her father showered her in love, gave her whatever she desired and spent every waking moment with her. She was an only child so she had not competition for that love. She was happy. True, the happiness was snatched away when her father was killed at gun point, but I tried my best to take his place and take care of her. She hadn't had to do anything truly difficult in her life." With that an awkward silence fell between them, but after a while Artemis broke that too. "Is it odd to feel so regretful about hurting someone who was and still is trying to kill you?" Artemis played with the wrapped of the burger, folding and unfolding the corner.

"Not if that someone is one you consider family." Optimus said with truthfulness in his heart. "I don't recall you telling me much about your life before the incident."

"It wasn't a very happy story." She admitted, "When Mira and I were born, her immune system was compromised and she was always ill. They said that she wouldn't live past twelve years old so my parents tried to ignore her. They tried to make it so that it seemed they only had me. For the most part, they would give her what she needed then leave her with a family doctor. I felt bad because if it weren't for me, she'd be a part of the family so when my parents were scolding me and trying to drill into my head the family business, I was taking care of my sister. I didn't realize it then, but she truly hated me."

Artemis paused as she through about how sometimes Mira would give her dirty looks. Even when they were having fun together, Mira was always sort of distant from her. Perhaps for a long time, Mira was planning to kill her and only lacked the strength to do so.

"I don't think she realized how good she had it. Our parents didn't love either of us; I was simply the better choice to continue the family business. At least she had freedom from their expectations, but I guess she wanted to have some expectations. I guess she didn't want to be looked at as an expiration date." Artemis stopped, her family story was only more of high expectations for her and no expectations for her sister and she couldn't continue anymore.

"I believe you parents loved both of you." Optimus said with a few moments to think. "They were remorseful towards Mira's short lifetime and proud to have such a well-rounded daughter."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. If only I could have told Mira that before she burned our family to the ground."

"Artemis."

"Yeah?"

"I once considered Megatron a brother." Artemis was shocked when he began to explain his situation. She listened to him intently sensing some divine wisdom in his words. "If you asked me a while ago, I would have told you I would never consider extinguishing his spark as a solution to this war. However," He paused for only a moment. "Recently realization has made me consider it necessary to one day end his life. But, that doesn't mean you are bound by the same conclusion. One day, if you come to the realization that perhaps the termination of your sister will be the one and only way to allow the darkness of Unicron's spark to be cleansed from her soul then I'm sure you will be willing. However, for now, do not stop searching for an alternative if you feel it is what is right. Until you do find an answer, your sister and yourself will push yourselves to death many times, but you must remain confident and honest with yourself."

Artemis silently replayed Optimus' words in her head, each letter giving her some peace to her restless soul. She was sure now that if the day came where she would think that having to kill her sister was the solution that she would not be mournful or hesitant. She could look for other answers as Optimus suggested and narrow it down to that conclusion. Perhaps, the day would never come, but at least if it did she would be able to say she tried. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank you Optimus, I needed to hear that."

**Halls of Decepticon War Ship**

"Lord Megatron, do you think it wise to send Dreadwing to do your job? Don't get me wrong, he is a highly capable first lieutenant to have at your side, but to terminate another officer. It could be a little much, especially if you want the job done." Mira cooed into his audio receptors, trying to convince him to send more warriors on the mission.

"Dreadwing is no fool. He will take assistance with him." Megatron glared at her for sitting so casually on his shoulder, but considered her as a pet.

"Yes, but he will also try and impress you so he will not take very many." She tried to explain Dreadwing's need to impress his dear lord, but Megatron refused to hear any more of it. At that moment, Dreadwing appeared before them.

"I will be leaving now Lord Megatron." He bowed graciously to his lord before passing by.

"Good Luck, Dreadwing, you are going to need it." Megatron watched his loyal warrior proceed down the hall.

"Yes, Dreadwing, you will need it." Mira said scornfully.

**Canyon's Edge**

Artemis sighed lovingly as she looked up at the stars; Optimus standing next to her also staring very thoughtfully at the sky above them. She looked over at for a brief moment wondering whether she should say anything. When a cloud began to pass by the stars she was focusing on, she opened her mouth.

"I always look up at the stars at night. It feels like I'm staring up at Cybertron even though it's so far away." Artemis looked back at him and found he was a little sad in his face. "It must have been beautiful."

"Yes, it truly was." Optimus said softly before bring his finger up to his audio receptors. "Ratchet needs us back at base."

"Okay." Before, she got into the truck, she stared up at the stars one last time and pictured in her head Cybertron's rebirth.

**Late into the Night**

Artemis waited patiently for the Autobots return. Sam sat on the couch twitching as if she were hiding something, but determining the right time to talk to them. After Ratchet told them about Starscream's information about the insecticon and Airachnid, Optimus and the others went to investigate the information's destination.

"Ratchet, it's taking them an awfully long time, do you think they ran into trouble?" Artemis looked over at Ratchet who was observing the screen.

"I agree something must have gone wrong." Ratchet debated whether to contact Optimus.

"Let me go investigate." She finally told him which he scoffed and shook her head.

"You were distracted all day and then expect me to send you into a dangerous scenario?" He growled, but she looked at him so sincerely that he stopped.

"I'm fine, Ratchet. The others could use my help." She waited for him to answer, but instead he went over to the ground bridge and began locking on the coordinates. Artemis began suiting up, not even faltering when her blood stained gauntlets slipped onto her arms.

"Artemis, wait I-" Sam began, but Artemis put on her visor and grabbed the hover board.

"You can talk to me when I come back, I promise." Artemis yelled back as she zoomed out the ground bridge.

**Cave Entrance**

Artemis began to enter the cave, but then heard the buzzing of what sounded like planes. She knew that it must be reinforcements. Artemis hid behind a rock close to the cave's entrance and watched as planes zoomed past her. After the engine sound was far into the cave, she attempted again to enter the cave.

However, before she could step one foot inside, she noticed Starscream climbing over into the woods above them. He was so set on something that he didn't even notice she was so close and watching him. Pausing for a moment, she decided it would be best to follow him.

Not using the hover board in fear it would cause to much noise, she followed him on foot, having to take several large leaps for his one. Before she could catch up to him fully, she could hear him chuckling then firing a missile at something. When she finally caught up, she could see Airachnid staring at him with a snarl and Arcee tired up in her web just a few feet from her.

"How right you were, Airachnid. Payback. Is. Sweet!" Starscream fired another missile at her which with that, she drilled underground to escape. Artemis let out a relived sigh when she realized he saved Arcee from Airachnid's deadly blow. "Now, if there is one thing I despise nearly as much as eight leggers, its two wheelers."

"Scrap." Artemis realized Arcee wasn't out of the fire yet and pointed her blaster at Starscream as he approached the tied up femme bot.

"Go ahead, get it over with."

"As I recollect, in a similar predicament, you once allowed me to live." His lashed out his long claw-like hands, cutting Arcee free to everyone's surprise. "Consider us even." He began to walk in Artemis' direction, so she took cover.

"Arcee, what is your status?" Optimus called over the com-link.

"In need of assist, but alive and so is Airachnid." Artemis waited for Starscream to pass before coming out of her hiding place. She could hear Bulkhead talking about Megatron and another bug problem that they had, but she took the time to make herself known.

"Don't worry Optimus, I got her." Artemis called in through the com-link in her visor which made Arcee jump and look down at her.

"Artemis! How long have you been standing there?" She asked embarrassed.

"Long enough." Artemis brought out her blade and began hacking away at the thick webbing. "Don't worry it's not my job or place to lecture you. I believe Optimus will have that part covered."

"Very funny." Arcee huffed, but smiled either way.

"Next time, how about I come along before you go trying to avenge you deceased partner all on your own?"

"How'd you?"

"I have seen many memories. Tailgate will be missed." Artemis whispered before cutting the last thread that allowed Arcee to cut herself free. "I'm open ears if you ever want to talk about it, Arcee."

"Thanks, for the help I mean." Though even Artemis knew that she meant more than the cutting a couple spider threads. "Let's get out of here."

"Agreed."

**Autobot Base**

When Arcee and Artemis came from the ground bridge, Arcee was ready for a long lecture on her actions, but before Optimus could even start, Sam came stomping up to Artemis with a harsh face. For a long time she just stared at her screaming things like, 'you said we wouldn't hide anything from each other.'

"I'm not waiting anymore; explain to me what the heck this came from?" Sam waved an envelope around, but Artemis looked very confused.

"Sam, what are you talking about? Explain where what came from?" She tried to calm Sam down so they could talk privately, but then Sam snapped at her.

"This!" Sam threw the envelope at her and heaps of hundred dollar bills spurted from the envelope onto the floor. The Autobots were silent, not sure what to make of the money on the ground and not sure what the big issue was, but Artemis knew. Sam was huffing and tearing she was so mad.

"Oh."


	9. Ch 9: XTech Industries

The Human Prime

Chapter 9: X-Tech Industry

Artemis sat in office chair with her arms crossed, her feet flat on the ground. She hadn't even gotten a chance to get breakfast before Sam pushed her down in a chair and began drilling her questions and assumptions. Every so often, Artemis would say a phrase like 'don't you need to get ready for school' or 'I'll explain when you get back.'

"Are you a drug dealer?"

"No."

"A hit man?"

"No."

"Oh my gosh, you sell illegal weapons, don't you? Oh my gosh, that explains it. All that money. All that money!" Artemis began to ignore Sam just as she was ignoring her. She looked up at Wheeljack who was waiting to take her to school. Artemis finally picked up the television remote and turned it on.

Without even flipping, a news channel was interviewing a large man in suit. The words X-tech supervisor, Gregory Talson, was in large lettering at the bottom of the screen. Sam stopped yelling when she saw the interview being conducted.

"Mr. Talson, tell us more about the head of company, Miss. Artemis-"

"Artemis is the only heir to her families company. X-Tech is proud to have such an intelligent mind behind the greatest technological invention company in the world." Gregory crossed his arms, ready to answer the next question.

"Is it true that X-Tech is secretly working in nuclear weapons?"

"No, Artemis completely restricts creation of weapons of any sorts." Before the man could finish, Artemis turned off the TV.

"Now, will you please go to school?" The silence of the room suffocated them as they just stared, Artemis waiting for a response.

"Fine, but I expect some answers when I get back!" Sam ran down the stairs jumped into the car finally allowing Wheeljack to drive off.

"Early in the morning and I got a splitting headache." Artemis rubbed her temple then looked up at Ratchet who was feeling a similar pain.

"What is X-tech?" Optimus looked over at his partner after previously watching Sam leave. Artemis tapped her chin as she thought of an adequate explanation for the company.

"It's like a science company or laboratory. We create inventions that help humans with their daily lives. My father inherited the business from my grandfather, as I inherited it from him. Our company was actually the first to invent microchips. You know the things they put in important things to be able to find them. Pets, vehicles…agents." She sat down on the couch and thought about getting a nap before her interrogation later that day.

"What did they mean by weaponry coming from your company?" Ratchet gave her a suspicious look, but she completely understood.

"In the past, the company did invest in weapons and dooms day devices. When I took over, I discontinued the sector. Unfortunately, some of our products are still being sold and manipulated to people who would use them for great harm. I'm still snuffing out all the bad seeds." Before she could say much else, Optimus interrupted her.

"People like MECH."

**MECH Headquarters**

"Sir, something is trying to get through our firewalls." The masked grunt came behind his leader, Silas, and informed him of the issue.

"A virus?"

"No, a transmission."

"Do you know its origin?"

"Unknown sir."

"Terminate it."

"We've tried sir, it only returns."

"Fine, let it through."

"Right." As the man allowed the transmission through, Mira's figure enveloped there screen. Her smile bore into Silas' mind until it stuck with him.

"Man, Silas, you're hard to get a hold of, so much security." Mira leaned forward from where she sat in an undisclosed location.

"Who are you?" Silas nodded at his men who were standing by. Within moments, they began to attempt tracing the transmission.

"Oh right, introductions. I am Mira, of the Decepticons. Don't worry; even though our past had been a bumpy one, I'm not here to take revenge on anyone. In fact, I want to help you." She grinned when the interest in his eyes were visible.

"What assistance could you offer MECH?" He kept his arms firmly behind him, never once showing any sign of giving in.

"Don't play dumb with me, we both know your conducting a little science project along the lines of Cybertronian biology. Though, I am the only one who knows that it won't work." Mira leaned her head against her folded hands and waited for him to squirm, but it didn't work.

"Why not?"

"Because you are missing a key ingredient, a piece to the Cybertronian construction plans that I just happen to know where you can take it from." It was with that that the leader of MECH cracked a smile.

"I'm listening."

"Meet up with me Silas, we have much to discuss."

**On the Road**

Artemis held the stirring wheel loosely, only so that Optimus could drive without looking suspicious. Sam sat in the passenger seat calmly trying to sort her questions without turning into an uncontrollable ramble. Everything was silent which made the drive a little uncomfortable.

"Alright first, how long have you been receiving money from them? I mean there were times when we were starving. Could you have just gotten money anytime?" Sam sounded so depressed, as if the hardship they went through was unnecessary.

"I wasn't allowed to start earning my inheritance when I turned fourteen. When I turned sixteen, I began working for the money. The time before then, when we were starving, wasn't my fault. There was nothing I could have done, but I tried my best to make sure that never happened again." Artemis insisted which Sam believed.

"Why do they give the money to your boss Minnie? I mean she's a stranger, how do they know she won't steal some of it?"

"Well, that's another thing. Minnie isn't a stranger, she's my aunt. I didn't want the company to be able to find me because then they would try to take me away as often as possible until they could turn me into a work-o-holic like my father. So, I told them to give the money to my Aunt Minnie in Jasper, they don't even know I live nearby." Artemis smiled at Sam who was smiling at her.

"Sneaky."

"Anyways, I pay visits the company twice a month to keep them happy. I work for my Aunt at the library in exchange for the monthly gift the company sends me. Though, she doesn't like me working for something that was mine to begin with. She's always trying to sneak my money to me before I work for it."

"That explains why she gave me the money." Sam nodded and laughed. "Artemis, exactly, what do YOU do?"

"Me? Well, let me show you." Artemis noticed the gates of X-Tech come into view. Driving up to the gate's guard station, she smiled warmly at the young woman and older man sitting there working the cameras. "Training someone?" The young woman guard snapped to attention and looked at her suspiciously.

"Do you have an appointment?" The woman said with narrow eyes. Artemis laughed a little at the girl's ignorance, but slightly felt sorry for her.

"Yes, newbie, she'll loosen up sooner or later." The old man grumbled, coughing a wheezy cough of someone who has been at this job way too long. "This is the company's owner." Immediately the girl frowned and had a slight panic in her eyes.

"I'm just here to give my kid here the grand tour." She joked to her old friend who smiled and looked through the window at Sam.

"You're a little young for children, aren't you?" He said with a raspy voice.

"Adoption programs are so despite these days." She watched the man look behind them then look back at her.

"You expecting an accident or something?" He asked which struck her with surprise.

"Huh?" Artemis adjusted the mirror and found an ambulance right behind them. She didn't know when he got out of the base and tagged along, but she was honored to have brought the rebel out of him. "A friend of mine tagged along. It would be a mere coincidence if something were to happen."

"You're a funny one Artemis, I give you that. Hope they don't hammer you too hard." The man opened the gate allowing them to continue.

"Thanks." She drove around to the side of the building where there was a garage door to drive into. Sam's mouth dropped open when they drove inside and didn't find themselves in a garage or loading dock, but in the actual building.

It was as if the building were designed for Autobots. The halls were large enough for even Optimus to roam in; the room's ceilings towered far above them. To Sam, she felt as if she were the alien on another planet that's how large everything about the building was. However, the occasional long tables were piled with normal sized inventions. The amount of white in the room was blinding due to the lights that were high above them reflecting off the surface of the tile and marble.

Workers in white lab coats and comfort clothes walked around the room unfazed by their entrance, working diligently on their individual projects. One man in particular Sam recognized as the man on the television, Gregory Talson. He immediately stopped however noticing the large red and blue truck on the inventing floor and folded his arms. He obviously knew who it was.

Artemis was the first to get out and told Sam, Optimus, and the tag along Ratchet to wait there. She disappeared behind the only small door/entryway in the room and before long her voice was over the intercom.

"Everyone this is Artemis your boss, I have a few announcements to make. First of all will Burgundy and Elson please reports to the inventing floor immediately. Second, I'd like to congratulate you all on a great days work. Since you've done so well, the rest of you make take the rest of the day off. By the way, this offer is limited so you better be out of the building in the next sixty seconds." Artemis began counting down and the workers scrambled towards the doors, hanging up there lab coats as they approached their hooks. Sam giggled at the silliness, but knew that Artemis saw this as an easy way to evacuate the building without drawing to much suspicion.

Gregory was no pleased. His face was red with anger as an old man in a black suit stood next to him with a questioning eyebrow. Her voice paused when she got around forty- eight then the click of the intercom expressed that she was finished. Two men came stammering through the doors, one with a feminine looking figure. Sam assumed they were Elson and Burgundy. When Artemis walked out, Gregory was on her like a lion to a meat carcass.

"You can't just waltz in here and announce to everyone that they get the day off!" He screamed loudly, but Artemis walked passed him until she was in front of Optimus.

"Well, I am the owner of this company, so yeah. I believe I can. Who's this guy?" She pointed to him casually.

"A partner opportunity." Gregory stood next to her and whispered in her ear. Artemis nodded and smiled at the man. "Thomason."

"Thomason, I would love to have a discussion with you, but I'm afraid here is not the place. Meet me in my office and we'll have a nice long chat." Sam was shocked at the different attitudes she just transitioned into. Though, Thomason was impressed and nodded. "Gregory will meet out in the hall shortly, if you would please wait out there for him."

Thomas did just that and went through the large doors into the hall. When the doors swung closed, Gregory began shouting at her again about barging in and acting so quote unquote 'un-profound.'

"My apologize Gregory, but as your boss, I believe I'm the one who should be yelling. It clearly states that business meetings including partnership consultations are to be made with me present." Artemis sounded very responsible despite the scene she just made not a moment earlier.

"It was a…pre-meeting. I was desperate, ever since the press conference, the board has been up my-"

"I'll take care of the board Gregory. Just relax, you're a good friend of mine, I won't let them slander you." She patted his shoulder then looked over at the men she called in. "Alright, gather around. Sam get out." Sam hopped out and joined her across from the row of men that stood like soldiers. Artemis strode over to Gregory and brought him close. "Remember when I said I had a previous engagement?"

"How could I forget? I begged on my knees trying to get you to work more days." He mumbled lowly.

"Yeah, well." She gestured at the truck and ambulance that were side by side from each other. "This is it."

"A truck and an ambulance, that's it?"

"Not exactly." She knocked on the truck's grill with her fist and said the next words in the calmest voice possible. "Make something of yourselves."

At that moment, Optimus and Ratchet transformed. It was almost as if time were in slow motion, the men scrambled backwards with their mouths agape. Artemis was happy it all worked out, she had been trying to convince Optimus all morning that it would be okay to reveal themselves to her advisor and assistants.

"Meet Optimus Prime and Ratchet."

"H-h-how do you do." Gregory said slowly as if they wouldn't answer back or wouldn't understand.

"It's a pleasure." Optimus said which startled the men.

"Did you make them, Artemis?" Gregory asked as if this had become a new breakthrough for the company.

"Well, I never." Ratchet grumbled, feeling obviously insulted.

"Sir, we are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron, also known as Autobots. We are no creation of this world." Optimus expressed his common speech.

"Aliens? You know aliens?" Gregory turned to Artemis who was smiling at her assistances who were mind blown to the point between brain damage and seizure.

"No, I know autonomous robotic organisms, weren't you listening? Anyways, Elson, I need you to give Sam and these guys a tour of the facility. Burgundy, I need you to protect me from Gregory." Gregory was about to say a something more about the robots that towered in front of him, but Sam interrupted him.

"Wait, you're leaving us?"

"I have to do some business; I'll catch up with you before the end of the tour. I promise." She placed her hand on Sam's head before heading out with Gregory and Burgundy.

"Alright, um, no better time than the present. Well, this is the inventing room. It's where scientists mold their ideas into reality."

**Near end of the Tour**

"This is the power core research lab." Elson pointed to the room, but didn't open the door. Sam went to sneak a peek, but he stepped in front of her. "I wouldn't, it's been acting a little, sparky lately."

"You said research lab." Sam suggested which was enough for him to get the hint.

"Artemis works on this personally. She says that this new power core will change the use of electricity for businesses everywhere. Certainly shuts up those environmental freaks." Elson locked the door as a precaution.

"So Artemis is an inventor?"

"Inventor, mentor, supervisor, etc., it all depends on what the company needs her to do when she comes to visit." Elson was about to keep moving, but then noticed Ratchet was falling behind, staring at an entryway. "Oh, that's the display room."

"Display room?" Sam jumped on Optimus' foot before he started walking back towards Ratchet. Elson began to jog just to catch up to the large life forms.

"It's where the digital diagraming of inventions and such are viewed together with the board or simply for a bigger view for Artemis to play with." Elson let out a single chuckle that ended as a snort.

"What's so interesting Ratchet?" Sam asked, but when she turned the corner she knew now what was so mesmerizing. "Is that-"

"Cybertron, that's Cybertron." Ratchet's eyes drifted over the holographic orb which had edges and grooves of the cities. Without even knowing it, his eyes drifted to a girl reviewing the large hologram.

"Artemis?" Optimus noticed her right away.

"I was just about to go find you; perfect timing." Artemis used her stylus pen to make the holographic planet smaller and allowed it to slowly rotate. "Well, how'd I do Ratchet?" She looked at him directly, wanting his approval.

"It's, perfect." Ratchet walked up and hovered his hands below the globe. Artemis gave a slight smile, pleased she did so well.

"I'm glad. I've been working out the map ever since I saw the surface of Cybertron in memories. Though, it could never compare to the real Cybertron." She said proudly yet sadly. "I'm glad you scientific curiosity got the best of you today. I'm glad you got to see this."

"Me too."

California Train Station

Mira stared at the newspaper for a long time, so intensely that many people thought her crazy. Finally, she circled all the words in the cross word puzzle. Tossing the newspaper on the waiting table, she leaned all the way back until her head was leaning against a man's, who sat behind her, shoulder.

"I know you have incredible resources, what took you so long?" Mira cooed in the man's ear, but he moved his shoulder to make her move her head.

"California is a long way from here, despite my resources. Stop wasting time, get to the point." Silas fold his hands lightly over his lap as people passed by to look less suspicious. The whole meeting was humiliating and he had a feeling she knew that.

"I happen to know that you get a lot of your technology from a mole that works at X-Tech. Do you know the head?"

"I've heard stories, Artemis."

"Something you might not know is that she and the Autobots are very good friends. More you don't know, Artemis and I are very gifted people. While I can hear voices and gain visions of actions happening in the present, she can speak directly to the creator. Don't ask, anyways, another perk is that because we are sisters, I can tap into her head and extract information. All I need is a weak mind and resources."

"What's in it for you?" Silas turned his head to look straight into her eyes. He could see the gears turning and the black twisted soul of hers rising to the surface.

"I get to torture my sister until she begs me to end her life. What better reward could there be?"

**X-Tech Inventory**

"And this is where we keep all the parts needed to build said inventions. An inventor's paradise." Artemis smiled, glancing over the shelves.

"Why do you waste your money on parts when you have everything you need right here?" Sam picked up a stray screw from the floor.

"These belong to the company, I might order the stuff, but doesn't mean I can just dip into it whenever I want." Artemis stopped her face turning cold and stern.

"What's wrong, no more tour?" Sam laughed, but then she could hear whispering and shuffling. Artemis hurried over to a small door and swung it open. Two persons in green jump suits were trying to carry boxes toward the loading dock.

"You know, there are very few things I hate in this world. One just happens to be, traitors. Congratulations." She watched the men draw sticks. However, Artemis didn't back down. "Great, you have a toy that shocks the nervous system. I have two towering robots. Go ahead, try it, I guarantee you I'll win."

"Well we found some jackals." Sam whispered though she wasn't sure if the bots could hear her.

"Hold them Optimus. Ratchet. I'm going to go call security." Artemis called security and a few minutes later the men were carted to jail. While Sam was excited over the capture, Artemis and Optimus stayed silent, refusing to talk about the obvious issue. The two men in the inventory room were dressed in MECH uniforms. "Sam."

"Yeah?" Sam stopped and looked at Artemis, ready to get into the truck.

"Ride with Ratchet, I'll meet you back at base. Optimus and I need to do something."

**Back at Base**

Rafael and Sam sat on the couch waiting for Artemis' return. Miko and Jack began playing a card game a few hours before, but were considering going home as the hour grew late. Before long, only Rafael and Sam were left and barely that. Rafael was about to get into his partner when Optimus came rolling up.

"Artemis, where have you-"

"Before you say anything, sit down a listen. You too Rafael." Raf and Sam sat down on the stairs, staring at each other in curiosity. "First, I'd like to say I realized that I was being unfair. Wanting to be a model for good morals if fine, but forcing you to abide by those morals just because I wanted you to, was wrong. Second, I'm sorry about what happened to you, it was my fault."

"Oh, Artemis, I don't blame you for anything." Rafael frowned, Sam did as well but didn't say anything.

"So, I decided to do something out of character. I decided to use my wealth." Artemis took two large bags from the seat, allowing Optimus to finally transform. "First, I think it's time you're like any other teenager your age. Which means-"

"Oh my god, you're joking. Oh my god, Artemis, you-" Sam watched her pull a cell phone from the bag and toss it over to her. "I love the new Artemis!"

"Second, a little gift for the both of you, something I have done myself." Artemis took two computers from the bag and extended them towards them. Sam took it joyfully and Rafael took his with a questioning look.

"What did you do to it?" Rafael turned it on and found programs on the desktop he never saw before.

"It has a satellite up-link. An eye in the sky if you will, you can type in coordinates and the satellite hook you up with direct video feed to what's happening there at that exact moment. Other stuff too, but you'll have to find that out for yourself." She watched Rafael smile and work on the computer with excitement, already knowing what he's going to do first. "Lastly."

"There's more?" Sam was already on a high from the gifts she got.

"One more, here." Artemis handed her a debit card. "I opened up you an account, just don't go crazy, okay?"

"I promise….thank you."

"You're welcome."

**Late at Night**

Artemis put on her armor, ready to take a late night patrol with Optimus. Ratchet was rambling on about things he saw at X-tech that could use some tinkering. She offered him full employment at the company if he wanted to tinker himself, but Ratchet only huffed and went back to work. Though, she could have sworn he saw a slight smile.

"Prime!" Artemis jumped at the deep harsh voice that came out of nowhere. She turned to find a large black man come storming in with a very angry expression. "What's this I hear about MECH agents-" He stopped and looked directly at Artemis. She held her visor half way to her head, frozen. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Artemis insisted first, lowering her arms.

"Uggg." Ratchet rubbed his brow at the frustration, would the surprises ever end?


	10. Ch 10: MECHs Final Preparations Part 1

The Human Prime

Chapter 10: MECH's Final Preparations Part 1

Artemis sat on the desk in front of the black elder man, waiting for an explanation. The man was screaming at Optimus about involving another civilian in their situation. She attempted to cut in, but he was talking too loudly to hear her. Ratchet finally managed to get him to calm down so that she could talk.

"Agent Fowler, it's not what you think." Ratchet announced over him then looked at Artemis. She smiled nodded and went to explain.

"Sir, I am not a civilian, I am highly capable of holding my own against the Decepticons. I bet my money that I have known the Autobots longer than you, even if we only met face to face less than a week ago. I am a very particular case." She insisted to him.

"And this other girl is she a 'particular case' too?" He responded angrily which made her a bit nervous.

"Well, no, but I've been taking care of her since she was very young. Keeping her away from them would be cruel." She smiled a little, but he was un-amused. "My name is Artemis."

"Artemis…wait, Artemis of X-Tech?" He folded his arms and waited so she nodded. "I guess I could let this slide." He softened up a bit. A lot of X-Techs medical technology helped many soldiers in the army, how could he stay mad at the person who is leader of the company who saved a lot of his allies. "I'm special agent William Fowler."

"Pleasure to meet you Agent Fowler." She let out a sigh of relief.

"So, you discovered MECH agents at your facility." Fowler asked unfolding his arms and looking an Optimus.

"I had them ejected from the building immediately, but I don't know how long they've been working for MECH." She shook her head before looking at Agent Fowler once more.

"I got to make a call." Fowler retreated toward the elevator, holding his phone.

"Hey Ratchet, tell me more about MECH." Artemis turned towards him trying to stay focused, but couldn't help but feel disappointed that she could not go on patrol with Optimus.

"They're savages, they completely deconstructed Breakdown-" Ratchet heard Artemis let out a chuckle that the mere irony. "Attempted to disassemble Arcee, and seized Bumblebee's T-cog in which we recovered damaged."

"So there trying to crack the Cybertron biological code." She bit at the fingertips of her armor, the gears turning in her head already.

"They've gotten closer and closer. Even now, I sense they are building up their last preparations." Optimus placed his hands on his hips.

"Why don't we set them back?" She looked up at her partner who gave her a questioning look.

"Meaning?" Ratchet scratched his chin.

"Set a trap for the head honcho, and derail there objective."

**Late Morning**

"The kids are at school, Wheeljack agreed to give us some backup, and we got the go from your boys from the Pentagon?" Artemis slipped some more padding in her boots to maximize comfort, anticipating the fight ahead.

"I got to say, I'm not sure this is going to work, but I maybe we can finally stop these mechanical terroristic freaks." Fowler extended his hand towards her, but she respectfully declined.

"Let's go over the plan again." She got up from her place on the couch and pulled a belt from a box of clothes. "First, an announcement will play over the news later today that I will be personally delivering a prototype power core to the Florida research facility. A long trip guaranteed to have its appeal."

"I'll take the back roads and stay alert to any suspicious characters." Arcee gestured to Bumblebee who buzzed about being her backup.

"I'll take the back while Bulk covers the front." Wheeljack exchanged a pound with his partner who began to say something about being just like old times.

"Artemis and I will be riding with Optimus, and we'll be carrying a dummy. MECH hops on board and-" Before Fowler could finish, Artemis chimed in.

"I'll take on Silas and we'll finally cut off the head of the viper." She started walking down the stairs before he could yell at her. "Let's roll Optimus."

**In the Skies**

Mira held tightly onto Dreadwing, him refusing to allow her in the cockpit hinted that he was still upset with her putting ideas in his master's head that he was incapable of slaying Airachnid and being correct. However, his attempt to pay her back for the experience was failing miserably. Mira laughed and squealed loudly into the wind, feeling the full effects of the adrenaline rush. She made sure to dig her metal claws deep into his metal exterior.

"Hurry up, Commander; I don't want to be late for my date." She heard him groan slightly when her claws pierced too far and began drawing Energon. Despite the trouble she caused him, Dreadwing sped up his efforts.

Within moments, they got close to a helicopter. Mira noticed it as the MECHs chief copter. As the got closer, she made sure to say good bye to her good friend Dreadwing. She jumped over to the copter and waved at him as he zoomed passed as quickly as he could. Mira got in and immediately made it to the front to talk to Silas.

"Is everything set?" She managed to scream over the sound of the whirring blades.

"It was announced that she will be taking a little road trip with a prototype power core, obviously a trap. Oddly enough, she has no idea that we will be going after her." Silas responded to her with mild interest.

"Excellent." Mira went back to sit with the one other follower that was strapped in and silent. She sat down and buckled into a seat then pulled out a wire. She twirled it around her finger until the man began look at her questioningly.

"What is that?"

"A brain tap."

**Artemis POV**

I twitched in my seat, being on the road for so long made me antsy in anticipation. When we hit the road, it didn't take long before Agent Fowler fell asleep. Even with something such as a trap, he could fall asleep when night fell and the hour became late, though it was somewhat our fault for getting on the road at such a late hour.

I laughed a little thinking about Ratchet and Mrs. Darby. Due to all the bots on such a high priority mission, they had the duty to pick up the kids, poor Ratchet's probably screaming for mercy by now. When I started to get a little tired, I leaned my head against the window.

"Artemis." Optimus' voice was quiet and sweet, like I was already dreaming, but I knew I would never sleep that fast.

"Optimus?" I forced my eyes open to listen to him. "You're not going to tell me that it's not safe and I should go home, are you?"

"Look out the window." I was surprised at his request, but did so anyways. I expected to see a sign of MECH or Decepticons, but the only thing I saw was a diamond filled sky of twinkling stars. "I also imagine I am looking up at Cybertron when I look up at the stars." I immediately wondered if he saw the Cybertron he grew up in or the one he left behind.

"You are quite a renaissance bot." I didn't think of how my words would affect the conversation. Words like those were something I was inexperienced with; they are words you would share with a person you liked, really liked.

"Thank you." He sounded almost taken back and I tried to ignore my previous words; it was just a slip of the tongue.

"Do you think our plan will work?" I didn't get a chance to hear his answer; my body became suddenly exhausted at the thought of the plan. I fell asleep so fast, that I don't even think Optimus had a chance to answer with his normal sophistication.

**Next Day**

"Artemis, Artemis, wake up." Fowler shook her shoulder to arouse her from her sleep. Artemis lifted her head from the window and took a second for her eyes to adjust to the morning sun. Before she could even awaken fully, she noticed a green car tailing Optimus.

"Is that them?" Artemis took her headset and slipped it over her head.

"Yeah, that's Si." Fowler looked out his window and found a helicopter following behind them.

"There on top of the trailer." Wheeljack informed them via com-link. Artemis grunted and rolled down the window.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Fowler reached over to grab her arm, but couldn't reach since she was already half way out the window.

"I'm going to take care of it." She climbed up onto the trailer, finding a masked man kneeling on the roof as if he were waiting for something. "Guess no time is better than the present to test out my boots." Artemis felt her boots magnetize to the trailer, allowing her to stand up sturdily.

When the man attempted to stand up and take her on, Artemis used his instability against him and knocked him off into the windshield of the car behind them. She checked over the side and found him to be okay; his ally pulling him into the car from the sunroof.

She heard chopper blades above her then a clunk on the trailer. When she turned, she found Silas standing on the trailer with her and the chopper drifting away. His fists were level with his chin and his emotionless expression showed signs of a smirk. Artemis brought her fists up and got closer to her opponent.

"Silas I presume?" Like a boxer in the ring, they began to circle one another attempting to find an opening.

"You presume correctly." Silas took a step forward and when Artemis tried to step back she found herself at the edge of the trailer. "I suppose that would mean your Artemis." She took a side step to get herself off the edge and smile through the hair that was whipping in her face.

"Why don't you come and find out?" She egged him on, gesturing for him to come closer. What form of a smirk that was forming on his face was gone, he advanced toward her, but she threw the first blow. Unfortunately for her, he was highly trained and blocked it easily. However, when he through a blow and hit her in the stomach region, she only recoiled back and retook her stance.

"Hm." Silas shook his hand slightly before forming it back into a fist, grunting slightly from the blow.

"Not even you can punch through steel, Silas." Artemis smiled at him as he found out how tough her armor really was. She was so preoccupied with the fight she didn't even hear the helicopter's blades whirring behind her.

"Artemis, behind you." Wheeljack pointed out to her when she didn't turn. She responded and turned to look over her shoulder, but was utterly shocked. Mira jammed a small Taser-like weapon into the cloth covering her neck.

Artemis couldn't get out any words before she took to her hands and knees. The overwhelming amount of electricity made her feel like her heart was skipping multiple beats; she had to gasp to get a proper amount of air into her lungs. Before, she could fully recover, Mira stuck her for a second time and this time everything went out in black.

Silas jumped over to the copter that was waiting for them and held out his arm for Artemis. Mira picked up the motionless body and handed it to him. Before she could get in herself, Arcee came busting out from the woods alongside the road preparing to leap at the helicopter. However, the copter drifted higher into the air without Mira, knowing to well she could make her way back on her own.

"Prime, they got a hostage!" Fowler yelled from where he was sitting in the truck. With the alert, Optimus unhitched the trailer and transformed right on the road. Thank goodness there was no on around or else he would be getting an ear full.

Mira took it as a sign to bow out and jumped down to the MECH car waiting for her. She waved at her angry Autobots with a smile on her face as the car zoomed to a hidden road into the forest. Arcee was about to go after it, but Optimus insisted that she leave it to Bumblebee who was in that general direction.

"What would they want with a kid?" Fowler was steamed; he kicked dirt up into the air, but immediately began hacking up a lung.

"What wouldn't they want with her?" Ratchet responded who was listening in on the conversation. "Artemis is a full access pass to information about Cybertron. All one has to do is find a way to tap into the brain and read off information from it as if it were a book."

"Then this is really bad." Bulkhead stated bluntly. Optimus gave a grave look to his soldiers then looked up at the sky where the helicopter had been.

"We must retrieve Artemis straightaway."

**Artemis POV**

When I woke up, the first thing I noticed was blackness. I blinked and squinted, but all I could see was utter darkness. It took me awhile to realize that there was a blindfold over my eyes. The next thing I noticed was dripping, water constantly dripping over me in a steady stream. I felt so wet and cold, it was as if I were drowning. Then I noticed my body was completely bound. I tried moving everything, my arms, legs, head, and torso, all suppressed.

Finally, I heard the voices. I recognized some to be Silas and my sister, but others were foreign to me. I tried hard to listen, but I couldn't focus closely enough to make out a single word. I brushed my fingers against what I was strapped to which seemed like an iron slab. To my surprise, I found my fingers trembling. No doubt the rest of me was too, but I wasn't sure if it was from being cold or from fear.

"Relax dear sister, just give into the pure torture and it will all be over soon. Don't resist, you'll waste both of our time." Mira whispered into my ear which sent a chill down my spine from her mere breath.

"Waterboarding is illegal 'dear sister,' though you can't surprise me with anything you do anymore." Even though I sounded so strong and so unbreakable, I could feel the back of my head begin to ache as if my spirit was already cracking.

"I got a lot more up my sleeve if you want me to surprise you, Artemis." I could feel her fingers brush up my unmasked cheek, they were cold and sharp; she must have been wearing her armor.

"Mira." Silas sounded so critical. Mira might have been willing to wait for an eternity, but he was not. I could hear them bickering about me, but I wasn't sure what they wanted. Then I felt her roughly tug off my blindfold. The lamp above me was blinding, but I wasn't sure if it was just because I had been sitting in the dark for so long, or if because if it was just that harsh.

"Do you know what this is?" Mira showed me a leg and I knew exactly who it belonged too.

"Airachnid's severed leg, she's been missing one." I stated to her which she smiled as if knowing something I didn't.

"Correct, but did you know Airachnid was the killer to probably hundreds of Autobots?" She examined the legs again before putting it on an electronic arm that hovered just next to me.

"I think I could figure that out."

"Artemis, Artemis, Artemis. Your memories are triggered by essence and there is no essence stronger than that of touch. I've weakened your mind enough that you won't be able to block them out." It took me a second to decipher what she was saying, but when I did, I struggled enormously. She was going to use my gift against me. She was going to make me experience the deaths of those hundreds of Autobots slain by Airachnid's claws.

"Mira, you-"

"Now, now, no time to be calling names." She lowered the tip of the severed spider leg just enough for it to touch the center of my forehead. First came the wave of pain that simply overflowed as if it were filling my entire body instead of just my head. Next was the blurry vision as if millions of images were flashing in front of my eyes within seconds. Finally were the memories, thousands of them, Autobot after Autobot being gutted at the Airachnid's hand.

Mira lifted the leg from me as I felt the relief with a mix of pain and exhaustion. I inhaled sharply as my body trembled, this I knew was visible just by the smirk on my sister's face. Gasping and groaning, she sat back and chuckled through her teeth. It made my stomach churn just seeing how much joy she had seeing me in pain.

"Round 2."

**Autobot Base**

"What do you mean you can't find her?" Sam screamed at Ratchet with a sense of panic. Agent Fowler, Jack, Miko, and Rafael showed equal concern.

"Sam, I know you're worried, but we don't even know where to start looking for MECH. We've been scouting the area ever since the incident, we're trying everything we can, but there is just no trace of them." Ratchet worked on the computers, trying to determine where to search next.

"But, But-" Jack came and put a hand on her shoulder which stopped her. She put her face in her hands and it wasn't positive if she was crying or not.

"Agent Fowler, don't we have some of MECH's agents in custody. You think we could get a clue by interrogating them?" He saw Agent Fowler ponder the idea for a moment.

"Let me 'interrogate' them, I'll make them squeal." Wheeljack slammed his fist into his hand, expressing his outrage.

"Easy Wheeljack." Optimus gestured him to calm down, but then saw Sam smile up at her guardian. The whole scene was a pick me up for the worrying human girl. He has to commend Wheeljack.

"I'll make a call; maybe we can actually get a clue about where MECH's keeping our kid." Fowler got out his phone, dialing his pentagon boys.

"Ratchet, do you think she'll be okay?" Rafael frowned up at the doc-bot.

"I hope so Rafael, I hope so."


	11. Ch 11: MECHs Final Preparations Part 2

The Human Prime

Chapter 11: MECH's Final Preparations Part 2

Agent Fowler sat in front of one of the captured MECH agents that were sitting across the table. He seemed rather normal yet stubborn. A while longer he found that the man would not speak to him willing now that he was unmasked and unprotected. Fowler became very serious, knowing that Optimus waiting for him outside the building to hear news of any kind.

"What's your name son?" He leaned onto the table and waited for a response. Within moments, the man became like a child and looked at him with saddening eyes.

"Benjamin." The man twiddled his fingers on the table, shifting his eyes away when he sensed the questions.

"So where's your boss now?" Fowler noticed Benjamin's uncooperativeness and asked again with a harsher tone.

"I won't say anything. MECH agents were taught not to say one word no matter what the consequences." Benjamin growled at him through broken eyes which Fowler sensed as a point of weakness.

"Come on boy, it's not worth the trials you'll go through if you don't confess. Silas has taken something of importance and we want it back." Though Fowler seemed to have shown progress, the man did not budge. "They've taken a girl."

"Nonsense, MECH doesn't deal with kidnapping children."

"Artemis, the X-Tech industries owner."

"Then good riddance, it's because of that girl that I'm in here to begin with."

"Now listen bud," Fowler stood up from his chair so abruptly that it shifted the table and startled Benjamin. "What MECH would do to her is questionable, but what that girl you've sided with could do is unlimited. If we find her harmed it is guaranteed that you will go down for it."

"Harm? No, Silas would not harm her."

"But Mira, would."

"Mira, I've never heard of her, but if what you say is true then my leader could be in danger." Benjamin thought for a while. It was obvious that he cared for MECH's cause and its leader. If not help them for Artemis' sake, he would for Silas'. "I know that they'd be at the abandoned jail house, but there are several layers of fencing. I'm sure they'll be many guards. If what you say is very important, he will want no interruptions, despite the loyalties of those helping him. "

"That's fine, where is it exactly?"

**Autobot Base**

"According to the Intel we got from agent, it is expected that we will find Artemis here." Ratchet pointed to a point on the screen which was the location of an old jail.

"It says that jail had seven barbed wire fences, security cameras at each post, and pretty much fork knocks simplified." Rafael looked up some information on the abandoned jail trying to aid the plan for break in. "All they would need to do is tap into the wiring to get everything up and working again."

"Why did they shut it down in the first place?" Miko hung on the back of the office chair, looking at Rafael's computer screen. He complied by searching for the answer.

"It saws that the jail had a devastating blind spot that made it unfit to be a jail for criminals. It was supposed to be converted into a mental hospital, but the project was canceled when it got bought out by a mysterious bidder." He continued typing and scrolling until he found a map of the jail's perimeter. "The red zone on the map here shows the blind spot of the security."

"It looks like the further you get from the first fence the easier it is to get past security." Jack made the picture bigger than looked at his robotic friends. "Which means the closer we get to the building, the harder the element surprise is going to be."

"Not to mention these numbers were calculated for people, convicts. Who knows how hard it's going to be sneaking a huge robot past the fences without anyone noticing." Rafael tried to calculate the numbers himself, but it was just to variable.

"Then let's strike fast and hard. Another thing is that we could bust right through the gates. By the time they responded to it, we'd probably be half way inside the building. I mean no scrawny fence can keep out two Wreckers like Bulk and me, Right?" Wheeljack nodded at his partner who completely agreed.

"I would have to agree that a direct assault would be our best option; for if we were to fail, MECH could induce countless harm onto Artemis without us even realizing it. We must retrieve her as quickly as possible." Optimus announced to his debating Autobots who, in turn, trusted his judgment.

"Wait a second Prime, who's to say that breaking through these barriers won't slow us down enough to be too late to begin with? Then we'd be exposing ourselves for nothing." Fowler argued since no one else would. Sam stepped forward and with intelligence beyond her, spoke.

"The three S'." Sam said the words as if they were obvious, but when she noticed confused faces she began to explain. "Artemis once told me of a story, during a battle on Cybertron, with a hostage situation, same scenario. So, to get the damsel, they had a strike team to take down the wall, a sneak team to move quickly within enemy territory, and a support team to cause a commotion so no one suspected a thing, the three S'"

"That's actually not a bad idea." Arcee pointed out with the utmost surprise.

"Arcee, you're the smallest, I'm sure you could sneak in and back without anyone noticing." Sam smiled up at her which, despite pointing out her size, Arcee responded with a confident nod.

"Bulk and I can be the strike team." Wheeljack took the grenade off his belt and tossed it in the air for show.

"Bumblebee and I will cause a distraction, enough so that Arcee's presence will remain secret." Optimus looked at Ratchet with sad eyes. "Ratchet, I would recommend preparing sick bay." Ratchet only nodded knowing too well that there would be at least one wounded when the day was done.

"Hold on Prime, I'm coming too. I'll help Arcee bring back Artemis. Besides, I have a few loose ends to tie up with Si." Fowler pointed at himself, determined not to take no for an answer. Optimus was wildly conflicted. Everyone knew that Agent Fowler was a highly qualified military trained operative, but even he would slow down Arcee progress. On the other hand, the job is very complex for Arcee to perform alone.

"As you wish Agent Fowler." He finally agreed feeling that when the gunfire started, Artemis might just need human legs to stand on. Ratchet was already setting coordinates. "Autobots, prepare to roll out."

**Jail**

Artemis fought with all she had to stay conscious. The memories came in never ending waves, never giving her a chance to recover or even breathe, only enough to feel the pain and sadness of all who fell. Silas came up to Mira who was impatiently watching the goons she assigned to alternate the torture with breaks. He gripped her shoulder tightly which made her shift her glance towards him.

"What is taking so long?" He saw her stare at him with cold, unyielding eyes.

"Her spirit is taking harder to break than I thought. Before one can have a direct link to the brain you must go through layers upon layers until its left with raw will power, then you chip away at that. It's a long process." Mira went back to watching her sister then switched back to Silas. "You have a lot of resources."

"I'm sensing déjà vu."

"Medical resources?"

"What do you have in mind?"

**Artemis POV**

I wouldn't let myself give up. I wouldn't let her get that satisfaction. Though, when the next wave of memories didn't come and I had a chance to look at the world I was really in, I let out a sigh of relief. Taking the time to gather myself, I looked around to see where my tortures had gone. The dark room was so vast; the light couldn't allow me to see past the set up around me.

I didn't have to wait long for my sister to come out of the cover of darkness. Mira leaned against the metal table smiling a little and held up a syringe. With no self-control left in me, I bit my lip in nervousness while becoming genuinely scared. She must have known I was becoming scared because she traced the needle over my exposed cheek just so I could feel how sharp it was. The whole experience made me break out in uncontrollable shaking.

"Something to help you loosen up sis, don't worry the actual shot won't hurt too badly." Mira stretched the cloth over my skin so it was thin enough to puncture through then jammed the needle into my skin. It pinched, but it didn't hurt. I had become exceedingly concerned when my arm started to spread a numbing feeling throughout my body.

"What did you-?"

"Why must you always insist on talking?" She bent over to my ear and hissed in it like a sinister snake. "I just want you to suffer. I want you to scream." Mira tied the blindfold over my eyes again then the waves began again.

It was much different than before. Before it was just images and emotional pain, but now I could feel the coldness of the knife as if it were being pressed into my own stomach. I felt the tense killer essence of the situation and the fear became my own. I silently wished my limbs were not restrained just so I could feel over my body and make sure I was still in on piece. Without the embrace of my arms, my body felt exposed and, even worse, my insides felt exposed.

"Stop…please, please stop!" I finally cried out. I don't know how long I was in that state, it was non-stop so I questioned if I even survived a few minutes.

"What? Say again, I didn't hear you." I could hear my sister walking away so it didn't matter how loud I screamed, how high pitched my voice was, she wouldn't have really cared, but I needed it to stop.

"STOP!"

**Jail**

"She's ready." Mira smiled at Silas who was standing in front of a computer, watching Artemis struggle and scream in the room next door. "Tell me what you need; I can get it for you."

"Audio files." Silas said immediately and handed the computer to her.

"Audio?" Mira was surprised. She expected him to say blueprints of a Transformers or biology hints, anything except audios.

"Of Optimus Prime, as many as possible and any important details." He finished and nodded to his second in command to join her.

"Alright, whatever floats your boat." Mira went back to her sister's side carrying the cables from the ride here in her hand. She took the two patched with small needles from one end of the cable and stuck them on either side of Artemis' head. "Put this end in your computer."

"What's that going to do?" He did as he was told not wanting to waste too much time with questions.

"Think of Artemis' brain as a broken hard drive that turned all the information in contained into electric jumbles, unreadable. My job is to take said information, translate it, and send it to your computer through the cable. Your job is to copy it and save it, think you can handle that?" She growled at him and waited for him to nod. "Good. We got to do this quick before she can recover."

Mira pressed her finger against her sister's head. With Artemis weak and unable to block her out, her gifts from the Spark of Unicron allowed her to bore into her memories and pick through them. However interesting they were, she didn't not pause her search one second, only taking the audio of her memories and sending them to the computer. Near the end of her clean sweep, she heard a loud rumbling.

"What was that?" Mira removed her hand from her sister's head, breaking the chain and sending what information she sent to the computer funneling back into Artemis' mind. The assistant was about to yell in protests being that he was not finished copying all that she sent him. "Hush."

"We're under attack." Someone announced over the intercom.

"Autobots."

**Autobot POV**

Bulkhead and Wheeljack bashed through the fences, just as planned. When the alarms began to sound, they signaled Arcee and Agent Fowler to come through while no one has yet to respond to the alert. Arcee held Agent Fowler loosely as she ran past the Wrecker team and then around to the side where she was sure no one would be. Arcee placed Fowler on the ground then transformed so she could fit through the door. Agent Fowler peeked through the door first.

"Coast is clear." He opened the door the rest of the way and waited for Arcee to come through and transform. "Wonder where they'd keep a kid like Artemis?"

"I'm not sure, but we better get moving. We need to find her before they move her, or worse." Arcee cocked her blaster and began to walk deeper into the jail house. Peeking around the corner, she found to be a split hall. "You take the left, I'll-"

"Wait. Listen." Agent Fowler inched closer to the corner on the left side. He could hear an almost haunting girl's voice and a voice he knew too well, Silas. He poked his head out and found the two consulting.

"You kept up your part of our deal; the girl is yours to deal with." Silas looked through files on a computer then handed it to his second in command.

"Pleasure doing business with you Silas." The girl waited for him to be further down the hall before turning back to the room she was in.

"Mira." Arcee growled remembering what she did to Rafael.

"You know that girl?" Fowler turned back to his Autobot friend.

"She's Artemis' twin sister. Though their looks are the only thing that's alike, she's twisted and merciless." Arcee took off around the corner and pointed her blaster into the door way. "Don't move Mira!" Mira turned to see Arcee and then Agent Fowler stepping next to her. She growled then looked back at Artemis before looking back at them.

"It's not worth it." She activated her armor's own blasters and shot a quick shot at Agent Fowler to distract Arcee then took off passed them and down the hall. Arcee got them both out of the way but completely lost Mira. If they weren't pressed for time, she would have chased Mira down.

Agent Fowler hustled over to Artemis who was strapped to a metal slab. She was blindfolded, secured with metal bounds, and the syringe on the table next to her suggested they were pumping some kind of drug into her. Her skin was dangerously pale and the cloth clothing that was not covered with scratched armor was drenched in sweat.

"Artemis, can you hear me?" Arcee asked with both urgency and worry as she came and kneeled behind the slab.

"Arcee?" Artemis shifted her head slowly towards Arcee's voice which made her look weaker. Fowler removed the blindfold slowly which she winced from the light; it was obvious she was blindfolded for a long time.

"It's okay kid, we're going to get you out of here." He nodded at Arcee who began breaking the bonds that held Artemis' limbs in place.

"I can't feel my body. Everything's numb." She said in almost a whisper with a raspy voice as if she were screaming. Agent Fowler took it as a sign that she was weaker than they both suspected. He took her in his arms feeling the wait of his armor slowing him down.

"Let's go." Arcee led the way out.

**Optimus POV**

I stayed in front, taking on the direct line of fire. I wondered why it was taking so long for Arcee and Agent Fowler which made me suggest something went wrong. With every exchange of fire I wondered if Artemis was okay. She had once told me that there were some things he could not protect her from, but this could have been prevented.

If I had just tried harder to keep her safe, if I just fought harder to keep her from getting taken in the first place, she wouldn't be in this situation. I couldn't help, but feel a large amount of guilt and despair. Bumblebee buzzed at me telling me of Arcee approaching. I felt better, but still extremely tense, we weren't out yet.

"Ratchet, bridge us back now!" I said through the com-link and began blasting at certain points to cause cover. We all began to funnel into the ground bridge after Arcee and Fowler, myself going in last. Before I left, I noticed a helicopter taking flight followed by a familiar jet taking off, seems Mira and Silas got away.

When I finally got back to base and could calm my nerves, I looked over at sick bay and found Artemis already hooked up to an IV and on a gurney. She looked so helpless, so abnormal from her usual strong nature. Jack and Miko were helping her out of her armor so that she could be more comfortable which ended up revealing more sweat.

Sam was by her side crying against her chest in joy that she was alive. Jack luckily called his mom who was listing some equipment she would need from the hospital. I leaned down beside the bed and extended my hand to her. Artemis smiled and raised her hand weakly to touch my servo.

"That's my truck." Her words surprised me as if she was pleased with everything that went down. "I knew you'd save me, I knew you'd come. Thank you." She put down her hand, running completely out of energy to hold it up then turned her head towards Sam. "So tired."

"It's okay Artemis, your safe now." Sam smiled and with that Artemis fell into a deep sleep.

**The Nemesis**

Mira sat on a table of weapons as Dreadwing cleaned them thoroughly. They were silent with each other, but she was smiling joyfully. Sometimes she would begin scrapping her index finger and thumb together creating a screeching metallic sound. She watched him when he turned and smiled at the puncture wound in his back.

"You might want to get that looked at, you have no idea if I'm contagious." She toyed with him, but he did not respond. The lack of response made her frown and feel disappointed.

"You tortured your sister."

"No, I failed to kill my sister, but I have to admit torturing her was the highlight of my day." She lied against the table and watched him turn again. "Maybe you didn't get it checked because you like it, makes you feel tough after that horrible failure with Airachnid."

"Perhaps you are here because you don't want to face lord Megatron and inform him you failed to assassinate your sister." He went back to wiring a bomb and smirked a little when she sighed heavily.

"You're no fun."

**Days Later**

Artemis woke up stiff and sore. She found a dialysis machine turned off next to her, apparently at some point they were flushing out the drugs MECH had put into her or what they might have put into her in their case. She felt the tubing of her IV and found it to be hooked up to a banana bag still. She tried to sit up.

"Oh no, you need to rest." Ratchet's voice came without warning. She looked around and found him staring at her from where he stood at sick bay's computer.

"Whatever you say Doctor Ratchet." Artemis lied back down then let her eyes roam around the rest of the room. "Where's Optimus?"

"Out on patrol, he decided he needed to go back to looking for MECH and the Decepticons." Ratchet went back to his work, but his words worried her.

"How long was I out?"

"A couple days, three at the most." He said with little concern, but she shook her head and cover he line of sight with her hand.

"Why do I always seem to lose a big chunk of my life when I encounter my sister?" She looked back at him, but he turned suddenly and seemed almost angry.

"Well at least you're alive! MECH are savages, they could have done so much worse and so could have Mira if we let her get her grimy claws on you. I mean, I was- I mean we were very worried!" His slip of the tongue didn't go unnoticed. She found that the grumpy old medic had found a soft spot for her, he finally considered her a great friend.

"Thank you, Ratchet. That means a lot. It's been a long time since I've had so many people care about this much." She felt her stomach and sighed heavily. "Ratchet, one more thing?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can we go get a burger or something? I'm starving." With his look of surprise followed a roll of amused laughter.

"Alright, I guess I have enough time for one drive to town."


	12. Ch 12: Arctic Freeze

******Before I go into this chapter, I thought I'd sit down and talk to all my readers. First of all, I'd like to say how honored I am that so many people like this. Second, I'd like to say that the actual things I can do on is so limited. So, for those of you who are very interested in this story I offer you the chance to go further into this world. ********Look up: The Human Prime on DevianArt. Here you can view the blank chapter covers for the story, read bonus chapters, and get a sneak peak of chapters to come. I even post the chapters earlier on this site then I do on this one. Another thing I opened up is the oppertunity to have a bonus chapter written with the characters you choose, even get to choose how they react with eachother. **

******So, without any more delay, chapter 12 of The Human Prime. **

* * *

The Human Prime

Chapter 12: Arctic Freeze

June made Artemis turn her head back and forth seeing if she had recovered from stiffness. Next June tested her reflexes to see if she recovered from the numbness, though she didn't know Artemis had already gotten out of bed plenty of times to know she was doing fine. June tested one more thing before leaving for work, her heart beat.

"Well, you seem fine, don't push yourself to much, but I think you've recovered from the encounter. One thing, take off your sweater" June put her things back into her bag, the machines she borrowed from the hospital being returned days ago. Artemis looked at her clothing; the only things she wore besides her armor were pajamas so the clothing she wore now was very abnormal

"I'm sorry you've had to make so many house calls because of me June. You don't get into too much trouble, do you?" Artemis stripped off her sweater to a white t-shirt that lied underneath.

"Were you cold?" June put her arm up her shirt and pressed the stethoscope against her chest. "Breath."

"You could say that, sometimes my body shivers. I can still feel the water soaking me to the bone causing me to go into a cold sweat." Artemis took a deep breath then another when June moved from a different position.

"If you want, I could get you a good psychiatrist-"

"I'm fine; the only side effects are to my body. My mind is fine." June was about to respond to her, but Artemis interrupted with one final add on. "My sister tried to kill me two times prior to this, I'm fine." June didn't say anything after that, deciding convinced.

"Well you seem fine." She put her stethoscope away and started to walk down to her car. "And I put you down as a patient, so I have permission to come out here on these house calls."

"That's fine and believable." Artemis smiled and waited for her car to zoom out of the base before standing up on her own two feet. "I'm going to get cabin fever if I don't get out into some fresh air soon." Just then she heard the elevator behind her come down. Since Samantha was at school there was only one other person, Agent Fowler.

"Prime, I need your-" He stopped when he say Artemis out of her bed and walking, in bare feet but walking. "You seem better."

"I feel a lot better; you know I never got to thank you." She insisted, but he waved at her.

"Don't mention it, really." He looked up at Optimus who stepped closer to where the two were standing.

"You were saying Agent Fowler." Optimus brought his hand to the railing, but was gentle enough not to crush it.

"I need your help; I need you to take me to my meeting with my superiors. I have a feeling they'll be asking some serious questions about our recent fight with MECH." Artemis knew Agent Fowler was referring to Nemesis Prime. While she was bed ridden, the bots were faced against MECHs science project, an Optimus clone. All the information they pulled from her brain allowed them to sound just like Optimus, which had even the Autobots fooled. It frustrated her greatly that there was nothing she could have done to help being in her condition at the time.

"Maybe I should come too, Agent Fowler." Artemis asked, but Fowler shook his head.

"I want to try and leave you and the rest of the kids out of the story as much as possible. They don't need to know you're living here." He walked down the stairs after Optimus agreed to accompany him.

"I guess you're right, good luck Fowler." She watched him get into the truck before him and before he shut the door he yelled back to her.

"Yeah, I'm gonna need it." He shut the door and with that they were both gone.

**After School**

Sam sat on the couch, tapping her pencil on her forehead trying to figure out the homework that no one seemed to understand. Artemis was sitting at the computers, looking at the large screen with Ratchet. Optimus hadn't returned yet which meant something must have went wrong at Agent Fowler's meeting, but everyone tried not to dwell on it.

"An energy flux in the Arctic." Ratchet said almost questionably, Bumblebee and Bulkhead came to look at the screen as well and saw a small blinking dot.

"Energon?" Bulkhead went to touch the keys, but Ratchet smacked it away.

"Not sure, it's a little fuzzy. There must be a harsh storm going on." He tried to get better detail on the flux, but was unsuccessful.

"Why is it always in the Arctic, sorry if I don't sound enthused, but I'm not excited about freezing my servos off a second time." Arcee folded her arms knowing that despite her protest she might have to go anyways.

"Well, then let me go." Artemis said which made them all turn towards her.

"What?" Ratchet asked surprisingly. "Have you fried your brain? You can't go out there; the conditions are far too extreme. Not to mention you're still recovering from-"

"I'm not recovering Ratchet, I'm recovered. And I have the conditions covered." She smiled up at them then looked back at the screen. "You don't think I spent twelve years developing only that pro-type armor, did you?"

**Artemis POV**

After Bulkhead left to go pick up my package from X-Tech, I opened up the large box with everyone eagerly surrounding me. The armor was polished black; each piece was built with metal layers to allow maximum movement with thick cloth on the inside for comfortably. The control panel on the left arm was made to adjust temperature control within the layer of insulation.

"Is this why you call it X-Tech? You take everything to extremes. What is this?" Sam went to reach into the box, but I slapped her hand away.

"X is the last letter of my last name. This," I brought out the helmet of the armor and handed it to Sam. "Is the environmental protected armor."

"What does it do?" Sam put the helmet on and looked up at Bulkhead who laughed a little.

"It's reinforced to keep out extreme environmental conditions. Not even the Arctic cold can get through this baby." I took the helmet of Sam's head and put it down on the ground so I could fish out the other pieces.

"I'm still not sure about you going to a frozen tundra." Ratchet said as he watched me remove each piece from the box.

"Ratchet, I'm fine and it's not like I'm going to be taking on Decepticons single handedly. I'm going to have Bulkhead and Bumblebee beside me and it's only a scouting mission." I looked up at him to find him seriously taking everything into consideration. "Sam can monitor my suits conditions if it would make you feel better, Rafael as well."

"Alright, but only if both Sam and Rafael keep a close eye on your vitals not just your suits condition." He walked over to the ground bridge to prepare the coordinates.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Sam folded her arms at me. I pointed to her computer which was sitting on the stairs.

"Bring it over and I'll sync my suit with it. That will allow you to access its program." I began putting on the layers upon layers of the new suit while Sam when to get her computer. When she returned, I used the control panel on my left arm to put up the program. After a few testing procedures, I went and put on my helmet. Luckily, I didn't sound too funny through the speakers. "Alright, ready boys?"

"Ready." Bulkhead raised his arm and Bumblebee copied him jokingly. Miko came to hug her bot good luck and complain that she couldn't come along even though she knew there would be no way for her to. Bumblebee assured Rafael that he would be safe and would come back in one piece.

"Wait, Artemis." Sam came running down the stairs. I didn't even notice when she left my side. "This is for you. Jack and I made it for you in metal shop." She handed me my small red blanket that I had worn before I made my chest plate.

"Uh, I hate to break it to you, but you're supposed to use metal in metal shop." I joked and went to go hand it back to her.

"No, silly, it's inside the blanket." She pushed it back in my direction. I unfolded the blanket to find a large Autobot emblem pin. It was about the size of my palm and weighed perhaps as much as my welder. Before I could ask her what it was for, she took my blanket and wrapped it over my shoulders like a shawl that came down to my elbows then pinned it together with the Autobot emblem on the left side.

"Styling like a rock star." Miko gave me a thumb's up as I went to look in the mirror. I had to admit, I looked pretty cool.

"Thank you." I watched Sam's face beam and Jack smile gracefully.

"Say it!" Sam suddenly burst out.

"Say what?" I wish my helmet didn't have so much tint so she could see my confused expression.

"You know, what Optimus says when it's time to go on a mission. Say it, please?" I couldn't help, but think how impossible she was and how embarrassing it was for me. Though, I guessed she wouldn't let me leave until I did what she asked.

"Autobots, roll out!"

**Arctic**

Forgetting to make proper modifications on my hover board before Bulkhead returned, Artemis was forced to search on foot. The three of them formed a horizontal line that stretched only as much as their vision so not to lose track of each other in the storm. Although Ratchet had detected an energy flux with his computers, out on actual ground, they weren't picking up anything.

Artemis found the cold seeping in somehow from some point; it wasn't enough to give her the chills, but enough to know that her warm air leaked out sometimes. She detected nothing on her own scanners and would find herself storming forward in front of the group in order to try and get any sign. Sometimes Bulkhead would have to shout over the snow storm in order to draw to her attention that she was getting too far ahead.

Eventually, they decided to split up slightly, just enough that their signals were spread out, but not enough for them to lose each other. They did just that, inching away from each other as Bulkhead took away from the blistering wind, Bumblebee took the side, and Artemis went towards it due to her size being able to go under the wind much easier.

She could feel something that tingled her skin and warned her of its presence. However, nothing came up on radar. She doubted that the others had any success either because it was an eerie silence. As Artemis began to push along the edge of dead zoning, she found nothing, but an empty waste land.

"Artemis, Optimus has returned with Agent Fowler, perhaps it would be best to regroup and start the search after debriefing." The way he sounded, it seemed that hours might have passed since they left. She didn't doubt it the way her skin was beginning to feel the chill from the leak in her suit.

"Yeah, and your suit is in the warning zone, don't want it push it to the red zone now do you?" Sam asked through the com-link. If Optimus wasn't probably standing over her shoulder, Artemis probably would have responded to that with a yes. However, it would be best to fix the bugs in the suit anyhow.

"Alright, Bumblebee and I will meet up with Bulkhead; you can lock onto his position."

**Autobot Base**

Agent Fowler finished his story about how Optimus came beside the general's window and asked how he was, nearly wetting his britches. Artemis was busy spraying the possible leak point on her suit, anxious to go back into the Arctic, except this time with her partner Optimus.

"Optimus, we discovered an energy flux in the Arctic while you were gone. Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Artemis went to investigate, but weren't able to locate it." Ratchet showed the flux he had recorded earlier that day.

"Artemis?" Optimus looked over at me with a questionable look. She held up her new armor's helmet which he took as a good enough explanation as to how. "Do you suspect it would be another Decepticon weapon or trap?"

"I can't be certain with the storm jamming the frequency." Ratchet put up the current reading of the Arctic. "All I know is that the flux is still there, somewhere."

"Arcee and I will return and pick up the search." Optimus walked toward the ground bridge arc and heard a thud then steps behind him. He turned to find Artemis tailing him.

"I'm not letting my truck go without me." She smiled up at him and slipped her helmet on followed by her shawl.

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope."

**Arctic**

Despite Optimus' better judgment, he allowed her to come under the same conditions as Ratchet advised her of. Artemis stayed close to Arcee in the beginning, but as Optimus became less and less concerned for her condition, she began to drift further from Arcee's side. Before long, Artemis was looking far from both Optimus and Arcee. With success becoming little and the weather becoming cruel on the circuits, the search party was beginning to debate whether to return to base or keep looking. Right as Artemis was about to suggest a retreat from the storm, a signal equivalent to the energy flux appeared on her sensors.

"Optimus, I'm picking up something." She waiting for a response and sure enough he did.

"Do not approach, we are in route." As the words were picking up on her com-link, she noticed the signal begin to move towards her. Artemis had to double check, but she was sure it was coming her way.

"Optimus, it's moving. It's moving towards me."

"Artemis, get out of there!" Arcee screamed through the com-link through Artemis could hear her voice echo over the frozen plain, meaning she was close by. She didn't have time to react. By the time Arcee screamed her warning, the signal was almost on top of her. The ground in front of her was crackling and rumbling. Artemis stumbled back and began running towards Arcee's and Optimus' direction.

The cracks of ice chased her until they were directly under her feet. She didn't risk moving anymore in case the ice was thin enough to shatter and cause her to fall who knows how deep under snow. Everything was silent, the cracks and rumbles deceased to low and almost inaudible churning of gears. Arcee and Optimus stopped right outside the radius of the crackling ice.

"Artemis, remain stationary, we will find a way to rescue you."

**Artemis POV**

"Artemis, remain stationary, we will find a way to rescue you." Optimus yelled over to me and honestly he didn't have to tell me twice. Even when I moved less than an inch, the ice crackled as if threatening me. I could see his brain working, trying to find me a way out, but honestly, I was more concerned with the whirring gears.

I focused on the sound until it was all I could hear. Not the wind, the hail against metal, or the whispering of the Autobots mere feet in front of me, only the sound of the gears. Five seconds, I could tell that the gears were real. Ten, I could tell they were metal and large. Fifteen, I could tell they were behind me and under me. Twenty, I knew it wasn't good. Suddenly, I could hear rumbling again and now I realized it was the sound of gears that had sped up into a roaring whirring beneath me.

Despite Optimus' orders, I took off running towards them. The ice shattering like glass behind me, but it wasn't from my quick movements. The thing was coming to the surface. The signal, the energy flux, the source of the grinding gears, was rising to the surface rapidly and I had to get a good distance away. Of course, Arcee and Optimus followed my lead, backing up from the crackling ice figuring it meant bad news.

It rose from the ground angrily, a metal worm-like machine with rotating sections that keep it from freezing. When it first burst forth from the ice it appeared reddish as if fire was burning within it then cooled into a silver metallic. I didn't have to look at the poorly painted Decepticon emblem to know that this monstrosity was the work of Mira's tinkering.

"Optimus?" I screamed hoping he could give me some guidance on what to do.

"Artemis, we can see this thing through the suits cameras. Why aren't you blast that thing to kingdom come?" Sam talked to me through com-link right on cue, despite it being a very bad time.

"Because this suit doesn't have any blasters!" When the Arctic worm came in my direction with its wide, teeth filled, mouth, I began to take evasive. Trying to stay far from the beasts grinding exoskeleton and, of course, its mouth, I drew my only weapon integrated into the suit, long blades on both arms.

"You have a temperate control that adjusts the temperature even when you have a fever, but no blasters?" Sam's voice screeched in my ears making me wince. I didn't have time to tell her that the blasters would cause a power overload in the suit, I had to keep moving.

"Artemis!" Arcee swept me up in her servos and skidded across the ice. All of sudden, as if the beast could cast bad luck over us, Arcee's foot got stuck in a crack in the ice that flung me across the tundra. I managed to stop skidding across the ice enough to sit up on my hands and knees.

It wasn't good; my helmets visor was completely shattered and was beginning to let in to much cold air for the systems to compensate. My teeth chattered as I tried to squint my eyes enough to see where Arcee and Optimus were. My hands could feel the ground shaking and it took me awhile to realize that it was coming from directly underneath me.

"I can't see." I mumbled under my breath. It was true, I couldn't. I tried my hardest to try and see figures, but it was no use. "Primus, if there was any better time to help, it would be now." As if he had answered my call, I could see again, but it wasn't like I did before. Purple energy that raged underneath me and I knew it was the worm. I skidded across the ice until I was safe.

The worm came up roaring and thrashing. It took me awhile to notice that in its jaws was Optimus, firing rounds into its mouth. In its trashing zone was Arcee who was covering her face from sharp ice shards that would jump up at her when the worm would slam its body near her.

"Does this thing have any weaknesses?" I found my eyes returning to normal, the ice and snow stinging at them, but in squinting to try and see again, I found a crack large enough for me to fit into leading underneath the beast. I crawled in, sighing in slight relief that I could get out of the wind that made my lips raw.

I found that our little Arctic driller was actually not as long as we thought it was. It's tail acted like an anchor, keeping it from falling in on its own weight. It explained why the rest of it was covered in armor and shooting it on the inside had no effect. There was a loop on the end of the tail that looked like it was yanked out unintentionally. I took off one of my suited gauntlets and stabbed the dagger in the center of it. I climbed back out into the blistering storm and found Arcee and Optimus fighting off the worms grinding jaws.

"Hey you! How about coming after something a little be easier to chew?" I screamed with a hoarse throat. The beast responded to me as expected.

"What are you doing?" Arcee screamed, not understanding my plan. I ran fast enough for it to barely reach me and to my amazement, it actually worked. The inner workings of the Arctic Worm were yanked out of it the closer it got to me. "What the-" I got to my knees trying to catch my breath in the too cold air.

"Arcee, does the words Hot cocoa mean anything to you?"

**The Nemesis**

Mira fixed up her Ransig beast, tightening the bolts and repairing damages parts from the battle with the Autobots. Knockout walked into the lab, looking around curiously. She looked over her should at him and found him looking for something in particular. Soundwave was staring at the screen as she asked him to.

"Where's that other thing you were working on?" Knockout asked as he walked up behind Mira and looked down at her recent work.

"I sent him out on a cold test run." Mira stopped what she was doing and looked at the screen as Soundwave brought up the blueprints to the Tunnel Thug. The red blinking light meant that it had been damaged if not destroyed.

"Looks like your pet got turned into scrap metal." Knockout watched Soundwave bring up the last images the Tunnel Thug took before it was destroyed. He zoomed in on Artemis' face that was visible through a shattered visor.

"That's okay; he was just for research purposed anyhow." She stood up and thanked Soundwave for his help. "Tell me Knockout, you seem good at creating a good appearance. How about copying one?"


	13. Ch 13: Sisterly Love

The Human Prime

Chapter 13: Sisterly Love

"Optimus, are you okay? You seem distracted." I sat in the passenger seat, having no interest in pretending to drive. I watched as he almost ran a stop sign, but managed to stop quickly enough.

"I apologize; I suppose I am a bit distracted." He paused at the stop sign, slowly slipping back into his deep thought.

"You can talk to me, we are partners, friends." I traced my fingers over my seat belt, feeling that it had locked on me.

"I am a bit troubled. While we are dwindling in numbers, Megatron has now acquired the means to create countless more warriors." He began to drive again, slowly and calmly.

"Mira's creations." He must have realized too that the metal worm we encountered in the Arctic was a beast made by my sister's hands. "Optimus, her beasts are no vehicons. They aren't without major defects. No matter the numbers we will fight them all, together. You shouldn't worry yourself so much."

"Artemis tha-"

"Optimus, I'm getting some abnormal readings here." I heard Ratchet over the radio which made my head perk up.

"I'm on my way."

**At Base**

"Optimus, no word yet from Bulkhead, but I am detecting some rather curious subterranean frequencies." Ratchet remained at his post on the computer as I began to suit up in my armor.

"Of Earthly origin?" Optimus was joined by his other warriors behind Ratchet.

"I do not yet know what they are, but I do know where." Ratchet brought up a map with the coordinated of the location of the frequencies.

"The coordinates at which we last encountered Megatron."

"And Airachnid." Arcee added to Optimus' statement with much anger.

"And Airachnid's Insecticon." Ratchet added almost as a warning to Arcee to calm herself. I watched them all debate until Optimus finally suggested that we would investigate with extreme caution. He also made sure Arcee knew that she was to exercise restraint. As much respect as I had to Arcee, I doubted that she would be able to hold herself back if Airachnid really was on site

"Artemis, while I know you are a highly capable warrior, I ask for you to remain here." I was about to argue when I sensed his paranoia and found it to be my own. He felt something else would happen while they were otherwise engaged. What I at first believed to be a serious misjudgment of my strength was actually an honoring task of guarding his base.

"As you wish." I unfolded my arms and activated the ground bridge for Ratchet. Optimus nodded at me then led his Autobots into the portal.

"Autobots, Roll Out."

**Jungle**

"I hate to ask, but what are we doing out here." The trooper asked with an annoyed voice. Although Lord Megatron had given the group direct orders to obey Mira's command, they were not happy about it one bit.

"I must find a way to capture my sister once again. Even if it takes all day, I will wear her down enough to capture her." Mira explained through her helmet's speakers. "Knockout, did you bring what we discussed about?"

"Yes, but are you sure that THIS will bring her out into the open?" Knockout put down the small disk so that Mira could use it.

"Of course, but remember, you are not to engage, only observe." Mira pressed on the center of the disk as it began to blink and send out a small beeping noise. "Go now, hide!"

**At Base**

Artemis saw the blinking on the screen before Ratchet, who was listening to Optimus about an invasion against Megatron's warship. She pointed it out to him and immediately he looked into it. Despite what he thought, it seemed to be an Autobot beacon. Ratchet complained about the rotten timing, but Artemis was more concerned of who may have sent it out.

"I don't think the person who is sending out that beacon is any ally of ours." Artemis, however, put on his visor and gathered her hover board.

"That may be so, but it is difficult to be certain. I must keep the com-link open for Optimus." He noticed Artemis opening the ground bridge already, prepared to make the journey there. "Be careful Artemis."

"Keep sick bay open, just in case." Artemis walked through the bridge and found herself in a thick jungle. "Whew, and I thought Jasper was hot." She put her hair up so that it wasn't so sweaty hot.

The jungle was eerily quiet and, despite instincts, she went further into the brush towards the beacon. When she finally got to its position, all she found was a blinking disc. Artemis picked it up and examined it just in case it was dropped after the signal was sent, but the Decepticon emblem on the back was proof that it was all a trap. She wasn't sure of the traps objective, but she knew she at least had to get out of the thick jungle.

"Ratchet, you there?" As she expected, the com-link was jammed. All she heard in return was static and rustling nearby. When she found no way of contacting base, Artemis took off away from the noises. However, when she could begin to see a break in the thicket, Mira tackled her, cause them both to fall into the greenery. "Not very subtle, are you Mira?"

"I get excited before a killing, can't you tell?" Mira stabbed at her, but only ended up hitting dirt.

"You're more twisted then I thought." Artemis slashed at her violently, but making sure it was simply a warning shot.

"I don't know what's slower, your attacks or your brain." Mira jabbed her knee into Artemis' stomach causing her to slam into a truck. She maneuvered around the tree and began running towards the open. Occasionally, her feet would get caught in the thick greenery underneath her which then she would have to duke it out with Mira in order to keep moving forward.

Finally breaking out of the jungle, Artemis could move more freely, but when she turned to face Mira, she scratched her face with the blade right on the cheek. She recoiled back and wiped the blood off the wound, soon returning her hands to a defensive position. Mira through her fists at her wildly, revealing no pattern or sign of exhausting.

"Mira, don't make me do this." Artemis, needing some relief, cocked her blaster and aimed it at her. "I don't want to do this."

"You don't have the guts!" Mira launched herself at her and found that Artemis did indeed have the guts. The blaster fire hit her right in the chest, her armor diffusing the shot throughout the rest of her, but the impact caused a dent in the center.

Mira found that it was time for a change of scenery. She took off quickly to where she knew of a rock plain that was perfect for a gun fight. The trees were large, but there was less ticket to get caught at her feet. A trooper, a fast one, came next to her when Artemis was far enough behind that she wouldn't be able to see.

"I told you to remain hidden!" Mira scolded him while keeping up her base. "Get out of here!"

"Knockout told me to tell you, he has gotten an emergency message from the Nemesis. There seems to be an intruder." The trooper almost ran into a tree for not paying attention, but then returned to Mira's side.

"An Autobot?"

"Starscream."

"The old S.I.C huh? Alright, alright, send half of my reinforcements back to the ship. K.O stays here." She watched the trooper nod at her then disappeared back where he wouldn't be seen. A shot sped by her ear making it ring. "Don't worry, I didn't forget about you dear sister."

Mira got to the rock plain and ducked behind a stone right before she could get blasted by Artemis. She waited for her sister to appear in front of her before tackling her violently into a rock. She tried to get a better edge on Artemis, by holding her arm to Artemis' neck while bringing her blaster to Artemis' head. However, Mira didn't expect her sister to jab her fist into her chest.

"You make it very hard to love you, you know that?" Artemis said with a heavy breath, trying to get air in her lungs.

"I'm not looking for my sister's love. I'M LOOKING FOR MY ENEMIES PAIN!" Mira didn't allow a second of rest; she swung her arm around only to hit the surface of the rock. Artemis had used the environment against her and went into hiding. "Come out and face me!"

**Artemis POV**

I stayed firmly pressed against the ground, using the rock in front of me as cover. I had a clear view of Mira from where I was hiding. I could see her turn violently trying to find a trace of where I was hiding. She looked so angry, so wild, that just her posture seemed to frighten me. I needed to get out of here or risk that dark energy being unleashed against me. As I shuffled my body backwards towards the brush on the edge of the rock plain, I heard small stones rustle against the ground.

"Scrap." I knew that it must have been me, because I saw Mira jolt her head towards my direction and begin trying to egg me out. After rustling, I went back against the rock to guarantee that she couldn't see me.

"Damn it, COME OUT!" I was about to start moving back toward the brush when the rock next to my own got blown to smithereens. The jagged shards of stone jumped up at me, ripping at my cloth face mask and scratching my armor.

Knowing my hiding spot would probably be next in her firing frenzy; I took to my feet as quickly as possible and took to the cover of the trees. As expected, Mira blasted right at my feet making it hard to get momentum. When I was finally safe in woods, I kept running not knowing where it would lead me. It didn't matter; I just needed to get as much distance as possible so that I could catch my breath.

**Mira POV**

I could smell her in the air as I followed her into the woods. She managed to get away from me in the stone plain, but the direction she was heading right now led straight to a cliff. I could smell her sweat as my own animalistic instincts drove me to run after her with full adrenaline.

I got closer and closer and finally managed to tackle her to the ground. The moist ground caked on out armor as I tried to punch at her cheeks. She kept me at bay which made me angry. I always felt angry towards Artemis' strength compared to my own. Even with the power of Unicron I couldn't totally overpower her. She pushed my off and I watched her run away from me again.

"Keep still!" I growled and chased after her.

**At Base**

Sam sat in the office chair, Wheeljack sitting next to her as she convinced him to stay a bit longer. Ratchet had mentioned that Artemis had left for the jungle earlier in response to a beacon. Sam heard him talking to Optimus, trying to get a hold of Bulkhead who had went missing earlier in the day, and tried to determine where Arcee went off to. Before long she began to get restless.

"Ratch, Shouldn't Artemis be back by now?" As soon as she said that, Ratchet stopped abruptly and looked at her. That look made Sam very worried as she stood up from the chair.

"Jackie, we gotta go find her." She looked up at him and Wheeljack only nodded and stood up, offering a hand to her. Ratchet became more worried when he found he just could not get Artemis' exact location.

"I can open up the original coordinates. I-I can't seem to locate her signal." Ratchet shook his head as he went to open up the ground bridge.

"I can track her down when we get there. Don't worry Doc, we'll find her and bring her home." Wheeljack left through the ground bridge.

**Mira POV**

I had lost her again, but not too much. I could see her back far ahead of me and I could see her stopping to take a breath ever so often, not enough to make a difference. I hated how she didn't even look back at me. How she didn't even look back to see how close or how far away I was from her. She was running for her life, but she didn't act like it. Was I the only one who thought she had something to be afraid of?

"Mira." The trooper from before came up to me again. I growled at him and sped up so he would understand I didn't want to talk to him. "Mira, there was another alert."

"The warship has many more warriors to deal with whatever is going on. I'm sure whatever big emergency there is that they don't need four troopers and a beauty medic!" I felt his presence still and growled back at him. "What is it?! What is so important?"

"The warship is being attacked." I stopped suddenly, knowing if I tried hard enough I could catch up to my sister.

"By what?" I faced the grunt and waited for an explanation.

"Insecticons."

"What? That doesn't make any sense what so ever. You must have faulty Intel. Just ignore it." I was about to continue after Artemis, but the trooper didn't go away which suggested that he wasn't satisfied. "If it makes you feel better, three troopers off. I only needed one of you clones anyways."

He nodded and went back to where he was hiding, most likely with the others. I went after my sister as quickly as possible. Who knew if she was resting and regaining energy I worked so hard to diminish. When I finally caught up to her, I found her gasping, completely out of breath. Seems I wasn't too late to grind her down for what I lost.

**Sam POV**

I stood high up on Wheeljack's head, trying to find some sign of Artemis' whereabouts. Before I could figure it out, Wheeljack began to walk again. I held on tight and hung my head over so I could see his face.

"Did you find something Jackie?"

"No, but I figured it would be better to actually look around then standing in one place."

"The trees are too tall Jackie, I can't see anything." I frowned and slowly got down to his shoulder. "You think she's okay?"

"I think she's tough and the Decepticon's will have their hands full." Wheeljack knew exactly how to make me feel better.

"Alright, full steam ahead Wheeljack! We got an Autobot to find!"

**Artemis POV**

I skidded toward the edge of the cliff. It was a long jump to make it to the other side, impossible. I wondered if maybe I could at least jump and latch myself on the cliff side on the other side, but I doubted that would help me get away from Mira.

I wasn't sure what was wrong with her, but today she seemed to not want to let me be. I knew at this point she was trying to wear me down, but I was still unsure why. She had paused from chasing me further back which made me believe she got contact from Megatron. I only had a few moments to think it over, but I was going to try and make to the other side.

"Don't you dare!" Mira tackled me onto the ground before I could even attempt a jump. She gripped my hair and shoved my face into the dusty ground. I tried to get her off, but I found it to be difficult. "Tired sister?"

"Get off!" I kept pushing up on the ground until I could finally turn and elbow her in the head. "Why are you doing this?"

"I've told you-" I got on top of her and held my forearm against her chest so she couldn't get back up easily.

"You're twisted, you hate me, that's why are you attacking me. Why are you doing it now? Here. There is no gain for jumping me now. If anything you're only setting yourself back!" She hit me against my temple making me a little disoriented, enough for her to push me off and begin blasting at me again.

"You're just asking me because you don't know. And if you don't know that means I'm more twisted that you thought." I managed to grab her arms before she could blast my head off. "You can't fix me. There's nothing to fix. Stop avoiding it and hate me already!"

She smacked me across the face and just waited. I hated to admit it, but she was right. I tried to figure her out only to find that she was too twisted to. I didn't want to think that she would just be attacking me because she wanted me dead or wanted to toy with me.

She was my sister, but how much did she have to do before it would be grounds for hating her. She resented me most of our childhood, didn't hate her. She killed our parents, still no hatred. Two attempts to end me and her attempt to kill me now and I still could not hate her. I keep trying to fix her instead of trying to hate her.

In a way, it was almost cowardly. Instead of hating my own flesh and blood, I chose to blame some dead evil that had manifested itself in an object that just so happened to be in her arm. She chose the Spark of Unicron. She took it as a blessing and used it as the power she needed to end our family.

Mira kept hitting me against the head over and over again. I could feel my head getting wet and I knew I must have been bleeding. I noticed a crack in the ground. It was large which made me suggest that it went deep into the ground. It was a way out, but it was insane.

"Getting dizzy?!" She swung again, but before her fist made contact, I blasted the crack at least two times. The ground beneath us began shaking, breaking just underneath our feet. I tried to dash to safety, but Mira grabbed me by my ankle as she began tumbling down with the rocks.

**Rock Plain**

Wheeljack observed the cracks in the rocks and found them to be blaster fire. Sam pretended to do the same, but didn't get any information from the experience. A distance rumbling caused them both to raise their heads. They shared a confused look then began running in that direction.

The ripped up cliff side suggested that Artemis was here. They both looked down and found a human standing parallel to two Decepticons. Normally, Wheeljack would jump straight down and smashed the cons engine blocks, but with Samantha on his shoulder, he had to be careful. He began inching down the cliff side, being careful not to slip and cause them to fall.

By the time they got down there, the Decepticons were gone. One among them, Knockout, began zooming away as fast as his wheels could carry him. The last one, the trooper, paused. Long enough to see a human hand on the side of his cradled arms, both of them assumed it was Mira who was injured from the fight. The trooper transformed and took off before Wheeljack could even fire a round.

"Sam, what took you so long?" Artemis turned and smiled at Sam and Wheeljack. Her smile was almost eerie, out of place, but she smile was large and soft. Her armor was missing except for a damaged gauntlet on her right arm. Her skin was drenched in sweat and small dabs of dried blood on her face.

"Traffic."


	14. Ch 14: Trapped Snapped and Kidnapped

The Human Prime

Chapter 14: Trapped, Snapped, and Kidnapped

Sam hugged Artemis tightly, smiling up at Wheeljack. Wheeljack contacted Ratchet to bridge them back. Artemis smiled slightly at Sam when she wouldn't let go then looked up at the large bot. Sam finally parted from her and looked at Artemis suspiciously.

"Where's the rest of your armor?" She watched Artemis suddenly frown, but then smile again.

"It was either my armor or me. It's okay; I'll just make a new set." Artemis turned toward Wheeljack again. "Are we not driving back to base?"

"Did you hit your head on the way down? Base is not even on the same continent." He rolled his eyes and jerked when he heard the whirring of the ground bridge appearing.

"Right, sorry. My mind is not in the right place." She walked past Sam towards the portal.

**At Base**

"Stasis. She deserves worse." Ratchet grumbled after examining the capsule which held the frozen Airachnid inside.

"I intended worse, more than you know." Arcee said with a frown.

"You are stronger for the choice you made." Optimus turned to the sound of Bulkhead honking and driving in franticly.

"Guys, you are not going to believe the day I had." Bulkhead paused for a moment, seeing the capsule sitting in the middle of the room. "You too, huh?" Bulkhead was in the middle of an explanation of where he'd been all day when the ground bridge opened up.

"There's my favorite Wrecker." Wheeljack smiled as he came into the base and immediately shared a welcome with Bulkhead. Artemis and Sam followed behind him and shared an awkward silence.

"Artemis, are you intact?" Ratchet look at her worriedly, not being able to contact her before.

"I'm fine, just a bit shaken up from the rock slide." Artemis rubbed her shoulder then cracked her neck.

"Rock slide?"

"It was nothing. Things just got a little too rough with me and my sister." She waved Ratchet off then wondered over to the trapped Airachnid. Optimus and Ratchet stared at her suspiciously, if the bad grammar wasn't enough, she had belittled Ratchet. Her head must have been more rattled then they thought.

"Well, after I examine Arcee, I want to make sure you haven't suffered any internal injuries." Ratchet watched Artemis' expression as she stared at Airachnid's frozen face. It was a look of disappointment and content, so unlike Artemis.

"You should have made her hurt Arcee. She got off easy for her crimes." She tilted her head towards Arcee. What bothered Arcee the most was the chilling smile planted on her face. "I think I need to get some oxygen in my brain, feeling a little dizzy. I'm going for a walk."

"I'll come with you." Sam smiled and was on Artemis' feet as she began walking towards the back. When Artemis was clear out of the room, the others turned toward each other with equal confusion.

"Am I the only one who thinks Artemis was acting a bit, strange?" Bulkhead scratched his head as Arcee nodded.

"That was a bit out of character." Arcee agreed.

"I fear that Artemis' mind might have been altered in that rock slide." Ratchet brought his hand to his chin, in deep thought.

"I saw the aftermath of the fight. I would be surprised if she didn't get a dent in her cranium." Wheeljack folded his arms. "I don't know about the medical stuff, but I do know that I don't trust Sam being alone with her right now."

"I agree, why don't you go fetch her while you put this in the back?" Ratchet patted the stasis capsule while looking at Arcee, Bumblebee, and Wheeljack. Bumblebee buzzed sadly realizing he was going to have to hoist the thing to the back with the rest of them.

"That's sneaky doc."

**Back Halls**

Artemis looked around as if it were her first time in the back of the base. They were about to approach the first room when the bots starting crashing through the hall, capsule in their arms. She pressed against the wall as they passed by. Arcee let go, leaving the boys to carry it the rest of the way through.

"I better go pick up Jack from work." She smiled as the boys only groaned from the loss of help.

"Oh no! Raf! I forgot that he wanted us to pick him up at his house." Sam exclaimed and Bumblebee beeped before letting go and hurrying out the hall. She looked up at Wheeljack who was trying to keep the capsule from falling after his left hand helper abandoned him.

"Sorry, Jacky. I'm not much of a heavy lifter." Sam shrugged and rushed after Bee. "I'll make it up to you later Wheeljack!" He laughed a little then hoisted the capsule up, heading toward the room.

"I don't suppose you would like to help me with this?" Wheeljack looked over his shoulder at Artemis who had an irritated expression imprinted on her face. For a moment there was complete and utter silence, her eyes piercing through him like daggers. The stare was cold and heartless, something so wrong.

"No." The single word was icy. Artemis turned and retreated back to the main room. She was greeted with silence and emptiness. Only Optimus and Ratchet were left, who were talking amongst themselves. She snuck past them and onto the couch. She stayed silence in fear that they might ask to examine her.

**The Nemesis**

Knockout finally returned to the Decepticon warship. The last trooper far behind him carried the precious cargo that they were entrusted with. As he started to head towards the control room to assist with the damage taken from the crash, he saw a trooper approach him. It was rare when the troopers simply walked up to talk.

"How did everything go?" With that simple phrase he realized he was part of the small unit that was sent on the mission.

"Flying colors, though the delivery man is running late." Knockout passed the trooper hurryingly. "If we hear from Mira any time soon, we know that things turned bad."

**Autobot Base**

Artemis moved slightly every time Ratchet attempted to scan her. This made Ratchet curse and growl which was very rare of him when he was working with her. Optimus watched the scene from the corner of his optics, convinced that something was truly wrong with Artemis. When Bulkhead finished his story, he began to focus at the advantage at hand. This could be the only opportunity to end the war.

Artemis watched Ratchet return to Optimus' side, giving up on her medical needs. When she decided that her presence was completely forgotten, she walked over to where Sam and Wheeljack sat patiently.

"What's happening?" She said with a sharp tone that went unnoticed.

"I think Optimus is going to prepare for a final strike on the Decepticons. Wrecker style right Jackie?" Sam smiled up at her guardian who laughed and nodded. By the time the two went to look back at Artemis, she was gone.

Artemis watched Optimus stare at the Spark Extractor. He sounded so hesitant which made her think that he wouldn't be able to do it. She cleared her throat, but the two bots didn't hear. She tried again only louder. When they didn't respond again, she waited until the Spark Extractor was in his hand to whistle loudly. Finally, the two turned and stared at her.

"You're going to sick that thing on them?" She sounded so dark the way her words were delivered to Optimus' audio receptors.

"Yes-" Ratchet never got to finish before Artemis let out a scoff and began to walk away.

"Not only won't it work, I think it's doing to be the biggest mistake of your life."

**Moments Later**

"I told you." Artemis said as she sat so carelessly on the stairs, looking up at the frozen Autobots. Sam gave her an angry expression that could make Decepticon's cringe. So, naturally, Artemis shut her mouth. With the other humans gone to the warship, she had Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Sam all to herself.

"Isn't there anything you can do Ratchet?" Sam frowned up at Bulkhead.

"I haven't seen a stasis like this before. Perhaps when the others return, we might have more light on problem." Ratchet returned to aiding the children with their mission. Artemis snuck up to Sam's side.

"I think I know what could cure them." She cooed in Sam's ear which made her smile.

"You do?! What?"

"I know the location of an old ship. We can gather data from its mainframe, but we have to sneak out. Ratchet would never let us go if he knew."

"Don't worry; Wheeljack and I are masters of the sneaky ground bridge."

"Wait, no, I meant-" She didn't have time to say she wanted to leave through the front door. Wheeljack had scooped her up and within moments they were out the ground bridge.

**In the Skies**

The trooper was close to intercepting the warship when he felt a sharp pain. It was then he realized that she must have woken up. He started to descend so that he could deal with his new problem, but when he got low enough he heard the shattering glass of his cock pit. For a second he felt very numb and then the pain began to envelope him.

It seemed he wouldn't return to the Nemesis. He could feel her yank out his circuitry and they began to drift quickly towards the ground. If he wasn't dead by the damage she was inflicting on him, he would be killed by the crash.

When his underbelly began scrapping at the tree tops, he felt her attacks cease. She must have abandoned ship. His body slammed into the dirt and rock and within moments he was dead. Believe it or not, she helped him by finding and ripping out his pain censors. He felt no pain when his spark died out.

She, Artemis, wiped the dried blood from her forehead with her bare arm. The dusty ground suspected that they were somewhere in the forests of Nevada. She used her opposing gauntlet to find the location of the stolen one. She walked over to the Decepticon corpse and bowed her head slightly.

"I'm sorry my friend, you were just caught between a family feud and you paid with your life." Artemis stayed silent for a moment as a sign of respect then checked the corpse's tracking system to the warship. The position of the gauntlet and the warship were in proximity to each other. She knew Mira was heading towards the Nemesis. She could only hope that no one was with her.

**Back Road**

Artemis walked closely to Sam, almost creepily close. The sun beat on their faces making them all feel uncomfortable. Wheeljack grumbled, walking slowly behind them as instructed. Sam started to complain and question why they were walking rather than driving. Artemis did not answer, only continued down the path.

She stopped abruptly. For a moment, Sam didn't think of anything of it until she completely walked past her. Wheeljack was immediately on guard thinking Artemis might have seen or heard something. She turned toward Wheeljack, giving him a very solemn look.

"I thought I saw something." At first, Wheeljack wasn't sure what he should do. "It was over there, deep in the bushes." Artemis pointed which he took as a command to check it out. Silently wondering why she didn't check it out herself.

It didn't take long for Wheeljack get out of sight. As soon as the time seemed appropriate, Artemis took out a cell phone looking device. Sam noticed the device and became suspicious. Artemis never got a cell phone like that before. When she flipped it open, she noticed that it wasn't a cell phone, but in fact a detonator.

"Artemis? What's that-" Sam could hear an explosion followed by Wheeljack's cry of pain. It took her a second to put two and two together. "What did you do?!" Sam saw Artemis wipe her face of sweat which smudged what looked like make-up.

"I did what I was supposed to." Her face was dark, the expression was soulless. The expression that could come from only one girl Sam knew, Mira.

"Wheeljack!" Sam started to run towards the location of the explosion, but Mira grabbed her arm and twisted it.

"Don't even think about it." Mira started to march down the path again. It was only a matter of time, before the Autobots were after her.

**Autobot Base**

Optimus groaned, holding his head from the ache of the stasis lock. He looked over at Ratchet who was placing Jack softly on the ground. A quick sweep and he noticed Wheeljack, Sam, and Artemis were missing. Miko and Rafael eased Agent Fowler onto the gurney as Ratchet plugged the transfer drive into the computer.

"Ratchet, where are the others?" Optimus steadied himself before making his way to his friend's side.

"I'm not sure, they ran off somewhere." Ratchet brought up the information her got from the warship.

"Artemis was acting pretty weird today. I don't think it would be a good idea to leave her alone with Sam." Jack mentioned which was very true.

"Speaking of pretty weird, I didn't see Mira at all on the Nemesis." Rafael mentioned which made Optimus flinch. "I mean, if Megatron was in trouble, wouldn't she be the first to fix things?"

"Doc…" The incoming transmission startled everyone. It was Wheeljack and he didn't sound too good.

"Wheeljack, what's wrong?" The medic bot brought up the signal to lock onto his location.

"I need an assist. Artemis led me into a trap and she took Sam." He groaned and began to explain what had happened only moment earlier.

"Why would Artemis do that?" Arcee brought up, questioning Wheeljack's Intel.

"Because we have been harboring Mira." Optimus answered which made everyone turn and stare at him. Now, everything made sense. Why Artemis had been acting so weird, why most of her armor was missing, and why she jumped Wheeljack. "Ratchet, lock onto Wheeljack's location. We must go after Mira."

**Optimus POV**

Bulkhead and Arcee leaned Wheeljack up as Ratchet began to repair his wounds. Bumblebee and I left them to work as we began to track Mira from the abandoned road. As we continued down the road, we realized that it was heading toward the direction of the warship's crash site. I began to wonder what Mira as up to.

It was to my horror that the only possible reason she would be heading towards that direction, would be to lure us into a trap. Despite that, I had to recover Sam and attempt to recover Artemis' location. I stopped momentarily from tracking to notice a set of footprints separate from those left by Sam and Mira. Someone else was tracking Mira.

As the footprints became fresher, we became more cautious. Mira had proven to be a dangerous human, a true Decepticon in human skin. They heard a whimper which caused us to freeze. Mira was holding a knife to Sam's neck, unable to use the stolen blaster on her arm.

"Don't move Optimus, last thing you want is this girl's head to roll." Mira hid behind Sam, ducking her head behind her shoulder. I gestured Bumblebee to stand down.

"What do you want?"

"I got a message saying you took information, I want it back."

"In return you will hand over Sam unharmed? And Artemis?"

"I can guarantee Sam will be untouched, but Artemis I cannot hand to you. Though, I would take my offer regardless." As much as I wanted Artemis' safety, I couldn't risk Sam's life with such a delegate situation. I was about contact Ratchet, when I heard a whisper and then Mira scream.

**Artemis POV**

"If you wanted me to hate you Mira, congratulations," I came up behind Mira, grabbing the arm with the knife and my gauntlet. "I do." I pushed her body so it would lean forward and slammed my foot into her shoulder. I heard a loud crack before Mira's mouth let out a blood curdling scream. I removed my gauntlet from her arm as she fell to the ground, clutching her shoulder.

"You, you got away." Mira whispered under her breath in between painful wheezing. My eyes glowing blue showed a deadly intent. The strength of Primus running through me like blood ran through my veins.

"Sam, get going!" I watched Sam run towards Optimus, as I picked up my sister and threw her against a tree trunk. I was angry and at the same time disgusted in myself. I didn't want Sam or Optimus, especially Optimus, to see me act so ruthless. However, she threatened to kill Sam, my only family in the world now, and I couldn't and WOULDN'T let that happen.

I threw a punch which she stumbled away from. My first shattered the trunk, making the splinters lodge into my bare fist. I shook my hand and slipped my gauntlet back on my arm where it belonged. Despite Optimus requesting otherwise, I ran after Mira. She took out what looked like a Decepticon shield and placed it on her chest. Just like that, her body was covered in the black armor.

We ran into the plain and the ripped out ground was a sign that the Decepticon Warship was here. I tackled her to the ground, punched at her helmet furiously. The visor began to crack and all I wanted was to see her face, to see her expression of fear. To see our positions reversed that I was the one who was going to make her hurt.

I was about to land the last punch that was guaranteed to shatter the mask that hid her face, but all I heard was Sam scream. My fist stopped inches from Mira's face. I looked over at Sam who was tearing up. I didn't realize it till now, but I was truly scary. I had never acted so angry.

Mira pushed me off her and ran away from me. Within moments, a Decepticon trooper hovered over the ground low enough for her to hop on and get away. I stood up, watching my sister retreat. I was glad she got away; I didn't want to kill her in a result of anger. I turned toward Sam who was standing in front of Optimus and the others.

"Sam, please tell me you're okay." I had a sad smile on my face which she took as a sign that I had recovered from my fury. Sam ran over to me and hugged me tightly. "I'm sorry Sam."

**The Nemesis**

Mira sat on the berth, watching Knockout frustratingly attempt to wrap up her injured arm. All of sudden, she just started to laughing. Unfortunately, Megatron entered sick bay right at that moment and heard her laughing which caused him to become angry.

"And tell me what is so amusing, Mira?!" Megatron pushed Knockout away so he could be one on one with her.

"My deepest apologies my lord, but my sister attempted to end me today." She stood up, holding the unsecure bandages against her shoulder. "Things are beginning to get serious, which brings me nothing but joy. However, I regret not being able to correct Knockout's error for you."

"I will simply have to test your continued usefulness my human disciple."

**Autobot Base**

"Coordinates?" Artemis sat on the table, repairing the broken gauntlet before she would have to move out.

"To four Iacon relics." Ratchet pointed at the screen.

"Then, what's that?" Artemis pointed to a fifth, very low signal that was coming from somewhere deep in the earth.

"I'm, not sure."


	15. Ch 15: Touch of Primus

The Human Prime

Chapter 15: Touch of Primus

"By the looks of things, this energy is deep below the earth's crust." Ratchet explained to me as Rafael opened the ground bridge for Optimus. "I suspect this is a delayed result from our earlier trip to earth's core." I remember that day well, even though I wasn't there. I was in so much pain that day and it was no wonder after the others told me that Unicron was our planet's core. Knowing that alone made me sick to my stomach, but the worst was knowing that Optimus had to give up his memory in order to stop the anomaly. I'm glad they managed to bring him back from oblivion.

"Could it be left over from the Matrix?" I asked which Ratchet suggested it would be plausible. I noticed Optimus about to leave and I turned quickly. "Come back to me, okay?" Optimus turned his head towards me and nodded before leaving through the ground bridge. I smiled and nodded at Rafael to set the coordinates for Ratchet.

"If it is energy left from the old Matrix, it wouldn't be that much. Though, we shouldn't leave it unchecked." Ratchet began proposing to go after it himself.

"No, you got to go after that other relic. I'll go after it." I saw everyone turn towards me. "What?"

"Being on your own has never gone right so far." Sam said with an almost bitter tone. While she was correct, it was unavoidable.

"I'll be fine Sam, I've always came back, right? Go on Ratchet. I'll keep in total contact with Rafael if it makes you feel better." I waited for him to nod before wishing him luck as he left through the ground bridge. "Okay Rafael, set the coordinates for that energy." I went to go talk to Sam, but instead, she brought me the red blanket and Autobot emblem. I smiled at wrapped them around me like before.

"Come back to me, okay?" Sam mimicked and I nodded.

"In one piece, I promise." I jumped down and walked over to the open bridge. "Keep me posted on everyone else Rafael!"

**The Nemesis**

Mira felt extremely bored after Knockout left for the Iacon relic. At the same time, she felt a bit depressed that she couldn't go with him as his backup and was replaced with a drooling insect, well insecticon. She found Dreadwing about to leave for his relic and stopped him short.

"Dreadwing, take me with you!" Mira demanded almost like a child, but he shook his head.

"Your assistance would be minimal; it would better if you just remained here." He said to her before taking off with a small group of troopers. She growled and gripped her shoulder. She wished that her arm would heal faster. While she managed to get movement in it without it hurting, it was still limited movement.

"Mira!" Megatron's voice echoed behind her making her immediately turn. She bowed her head slightly when she saw he was right behind her.

"Yes my lord Megatron?" She had hoped he had a job for her, but he gestured his hand towards her. It seemed that he just wanted her close so she wouldn't get in the way of other's missions.

"Come." Mira accepted the hand and soon was up on his shoulder. They visited the room where the other insecticons rested and it honestly made his think that the whole warship would get infested the way they took up the room.

She jumped when she discovered he was sending one of them on a relic hunt. Though, she dare not question his decision in front of anyone, so she waited for him to finish talking to the one named Hardshell. After they left the room, she got his attention.

"My lord, may I suggest that I accompany the beast on his mission? Perhaps he is the fiercest, but he is also a beast." Mira tried not to sound like she was calling Hardshell a simple minded insect, but that was exactly what she was doing.

"No, you would most certainly cause a handicap to their mission. You will remain here." When Megatron's words left his mouth plate, she became furious, but got it down so her voice sounded only mildly frustrated.

"Lord Megatron, you once told me that I would need to prove my usefulness to you! Please my lord, let me prove to you." She begged, but his face only expressed anger in her defiance then understanding of her desperate attempt to show her strength.

"Lord Megatron, we have detected a weird reading on our scanners." A servant exclaimed over the intercom. This drew his attention away from Mira and head towards the command center. When he got there, a group was looking into the location.

"What do you know?" Megatron stared at the point on the screen. It was directed underground, deep with the earth.

"It's some sort of energy, deep with the earth's crust. Close to the center of the earth." The servant answered and brought the point up into a three dimensional view. Mira smiled seeing an opportunity.

"I will go and retrieve this myself." He answered, but before he could even turn to leave.

"Now, my lord, you have four other missions to supervise. Allow me to go in your stead. I can absorb energy with frequencies just as this one. I can leave and return with this as my gift to you." Mira offered and folded her arms.

"Do you understand the gravity of this assignment? What you are retrieving for me?" He asked and she admitted she had no clue. "This energy that is near the center of the earth is, most likely, a fragment of the matrix that Optimus had carelessly released into the earth's core."

"Then I will not fail you my lord." She insisted which made him fall silent.

"Very well, you will retrieve this for me." Megatron gave in which she bowed and jumped off his shoulder. "Mira!" She stopped short and turned to face him. "Do NOT fail me."

"Yes my lord."

**Deep Below the Earth's Crust**

Artemis eased herself over a rock and kept walking. Being so deep underground caused her energy reader to hay wire, but luckily enough, the path to the energy was fairly simple with not that many split paths. She stopped for a proper rest. Dangling her feet off the side of a rock and sipping some water from a water bottle, she felt fairly calm. This was a good sign that the energy was indeed from the Matrix.

"Hm, what if it is Matrix Energy? How am I supposed to take it back to base? Maybe I should have through this through a bit more." Artemis sipped his water again before putting it away and continuing on her way. "I'll have to figure it out."

As the ground started to become smoother and easier to maneuver, she found that she must have been getting close. All of a sudden, she began to hear voices, several of them, echoing in her head. Artemis had to stop to contain herself and try to figure out what was going on. Without hesitation, she called out into the empty space for an answer.

"Artemis, you know who they are." Primus' voice responded which made her flinch and stand up straighter.

"I can hear you, did I fall asleep?" Artemis asked as the voices she was hearing before subsided, allowing her to hear Primus' clearly.

"No, you did not fall asleep. You can hear me because of the Matrix's energy." It made enough sense. The Matrix was his and the other thirteen primes. It was rather comforting to hear his voice since there was no one else to talk to.

"Who were those voices Primus, you said I knew them." Artemis slid down a steep drop before continuing forward. He did not answer which made her think she knew the answer already. "The other Primes?"

"Precisely." Primus finally answered which were followed by whispers. They were to low and too fuzzy to deduce what they were saying.

"Why can't I hear what they are saying?"

"The Matrix is not a part of you; its energy is only around you."

"That's a shame; I would like to talk with them." She smiled and found that she was walking at a very slow pace. She wondered if she should pick it up for the sake of getting there sooner. Primus did not answer her at all, it usually meant that she said something that if he answered he would reveal something he shouldn't. After years of speaking with him, she found it was easier to change the subject then to ask him what he knew.

"This remnant of the Matrix, how can I hear the other primes if it is only a section." Artemis always found a way to ask difficult questions.

"Not all thirteen of the Primes are within the section."

"How many do you think there are?" Again there was no answer, so she thought of something else to talk about. "How are we going to get it out of here? Correction, how am I going to get it out of here?"

"Only one with the Matrix can manipulate the energy."

"So I can't even do anything." Artemis stopped and sighed heavily. Despite the new discovery, it would have better if he would have told her that a while ago.

"No, Optimus is not the only one with a matrix." She thought about his words for a moment and then connected. She had the shard of the matrix and her sister had the spark of Unicron, a.k.a the anti-matrix.

"Great, hopefully the Decepticons didn't detect this energy. I really don't want to see my sister right now." Even so, she picked up the pace thinking in the back of her mind that there was no way they didn't pick up on it.

"Artemis." It took her a second to realize that that voice belonged to Rafael. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine Rafael. I'm getting closer to the energies location. How are the others?" Artemis stood off to the side, pausing to talk with Raf.

"Agent Fowler just woke up. Bulkhead and Optimus seem to be doing fine. They both find there relics. I haven't heard from Arcee and Bumblebee yet." She let out a slight breath after hearing Optimus was fine. Maybe everything wasn't going to fall apart this time.

"Ratchet and Wheeljack?"

"I haven't-" Rafael paused for a long time then continued. "Ratchet needs me to write up a virus, I'll tell you what happens when I'm done."

"Go get them, Rafael." Artemis said before ending the communication. "Alright, let's go get that Matrix energy."

**Deep Below the Earth's Crust**

Mira jumped and ran through the tunnel leading towards the energy. She wasn't sure who would be there already or even if there would be anyone, but she wanted to get there first. The voices, the whispers, were driving her nuts. It was one thing to hear Unicron's voice at the most inopportune times, but now these annoying whispers.

"Shut up!" She cried out and stopped to take a breath. Clutching her hurt arm, she could feel it stinging as if it were healing faster. "I said shut up!"

Of course the whispering never stopped, they only got louder in her head which made her angrier because even though they were so loud, she couldn't tell what they were saying. Even though she though nothing was worth this, she dare no return to the warship empty handed. She would just have to move faster.

As she got deeper and deeper into the earth, the whispering got louder which made her move faster. The whole thing was torture. All of sudden she just stopped, hearing something that was familiar to her. It was the dark voices of the anti-spark, giving her hints and advice to lead her further down their path.

"If you absorb the Matrix energy, you can taint it, use it against her." The voice suggested which Mira approved; power was always an appropriate answer.

"Sounds complicated." She whispered back, not moving just yet.

"Not at all, simply reach out and grab it; just like you've always done."

"Of course." Mira started walking again, slower this time. She could feel it; the thickness of the air was obvious. It was just up ahead.

**Artemis POV**

I could feel it; this thickness about the air around me was obvious. It was just up ahead. I walked steady out into this big cavern that was carved out perfectly. The ground was smooth as if it were man made. A large hole in the center of room was odd enough, but the large ball of rotating energy made it almost surreal.

"Guess that's it." I jumped down into the large room and inched closer to it.

"What gave it away?" Primus joked uncharacteristically, probably to help loosen me up because I was shaking.

It was so beautiful and so warm, it made me feel whole. On the other hand, in the back of my mind I could hear myself whispering 'this is a part of Optimus.' Which was typically true, but it made me very nervous. It made me feel that if I touched it, it could break into pieces. I had to be careful because this was a part of him, because it belonged to him. I managed to get my feet firmly planted on the ground without shaking and could muster up the strength to get closer.

"Now how do I move this?"

"You could absorb it take it as your own." Primus didn't realize what kind of effect those words would have on me. This belonged to Optimus and if I took it I would have some of his memories. Talk about an invasion of privacy.

"Anything else?"

"You don't really have the resources to do anything else."

"I bet I could download it and send it to Rafael. You said I could manipulate it." I began to approach the large ball of energy when a chill went up my spine.

"Someone's here."

"What gave it away?" I answered back and stepped to the side to look beyond the floating orb. A shadow of someone standing in an opening located on the other side was clearly visible. There was only one human I knew who could or even would find their way all the way down here. "I might not have the time to do it the long way."

"Artemis! Back off, I need that energy!" Mira jumped down into the room, the matrix energy letting off a glow that illuminated her face.

"This belongs to a Prime. It belongs to Optimus!" I shot at her. If all else failed, I would absorb the energy in my body. Until then, I would keep Mira at bay and maybe get her to retreat.

"Don't hit the energy. If it ignites, it could destroy both of you and anything above us." That was not what I needed to hear, but I guess it was just something else to add to my list of worries. Mira deflected my blasts and as she got closer, I got more anxious.

"Fine!" As I switched to my blades, Mira lunged at me and pined me to the ground. I brought my blade across her cracked helmet that she never repaired. My blade forced the helmet to finally break. We got away from each other, our breath heavy from not recovering properly from our last encounter.

"I don't have time for this!" Mira looked over at the Matrix energy, walking slowly closer to it as if it were pushing her away. I couldn't let her take it, at least, not all of it.

"How do absorb it Primus?" I asked in a hasty tone.

"Reach out and wish for it." Wishing, just like I wished to live and the Matrix shared saved me.

I ran past Mira, not feeling the same force as she was, and reached out for the Matrix energy. The hoops that surrounded it led the rest of the orb to me. It streamed down my arm into my chest and what I thought would be simple and amazing was actually extremely painful. It felt like something was invading my body, forcing itself inside and then consuming me.

**Mira POV**

I would not allow myself to go back empty handed. I would not lose to Artemis, my elder sister. I forced myself to her side and began absorbing the energy as well. As the energy got close to my, it turned into a dark shade of purple and entered into my chest violently. It hurt, but I knew it was worth it.

"Damn it." I realized that the energy was splitting and while I was getting a large portion of it, my sister was getting a lot more. The ground began to shake; it would seem that without the energy to hold up the cavern, there was no stability.

As much as I wanted to please my master, I also didn't want to die. I broke away from the energy as the last of it began to funnel through. I ran away, towards where I was first brought in. My sister got to her knees, holding her chest, as she watched me leave.

"Nemesis, come in!" I called to the warship, hoping that someone would answer or that the energy was no longer blocking my signal.

"The Nemesis hears you Mira." A trooper, a familiar one, answered with much sarcasm.

"Bridge me back now! Quickly!" Only a moment after, a ground bridge opened and I left my sister, just as the ceiling began to crumble.

**The Nemesis**

Mira bowed to Megatron, telling him how her mission was a success with a minor road bumps. She felt even better when she heard Dreadwing returned unsuccessful. She felt a horrible pain throughout her body so she informed her lord that she would be at sick bay. Mira walked in on Knockout's scratch face.

"Haha, what happened to you K.O?" She couldn't help to laugh at his pain. Though her look grew remorseful when she saw him stumble with the buffer, Breakdown was always the one who fixed his scratches.

"I could say the same to you. You look like crap."

"I do?" She looked in the reflective surface and found her hair had turned pitch black. "How did that happen?" Mira had a curious look on her face and drew her blade, slicing her hand a bit.

"What the, you're bleeding Energon." Knockout walked over a kneeled beside Mira.

"Try to explain that Doc Knoc."

**Autobot Base**

Sam huddled with the others. She was holding Miko in her arms as she cried hysterically. Bulkhead's body lay on the berth, Ratchet examining him and working on him furiously. The rest of us stayed in front of the computer. While every bot had returned from their mission, Artemis did not.

"Rafael, beam me back wizard. Things are getting rocky." They all jumped when they heard Artemis' voice come from the com-link.

"Right." Rafael found Artemis signal easier to pinpoint than before and opened the ground bridge. They waited only a few minutes then Artemis emerged from the portal.

"Artemis!" Sam went over and hugged Artemis tightly. "It is you this time right?"

"Very funny, yeah it's me." Artemis hugged Sam tightly then peered over at the sad faces. "What happened?"

"Bulkhead." Sam whispered and watched Artemis break away from her and head towards sick bay. Sam felt something wet and sticky on her fingers. "Oh, Artemis you're bleeding."

"Probably just a scratch." Artemis turned and looked behind her arm.

"What the-" Sam inched closer and traced her fingers over the wound.

"But that's-" Arcee and Bumblebee got closer to look at the wound as well.

"Energon." Optimus finished the statement, seeing the blue substance leak from the open wound.


	16. Ch 16: Artemis Prime

The Human Prime

Chapter 16: Artemis Prime

"I'm fine! You should be looking at Bulkhead; he's the one that might offline!" Artemis screamed as she moved her arm away from June. She was trying to examine her state, but all Artemis wanted to do was go check on Bulk.

"One more prick." June lightly jabbed a needle into Artemis' leg and waited for blood to surface. Unfortunately, just like the other times she pricked her, Energon leaked from the wound and soon healed.

"There, you happy?" Artemis stood up, but Sam clung to her arm before she could go anywhere.

"Artemis, what if this is serious? I mean humans and Energon don't mix real well. Sure you had the matrix shared, but I doubt having it in your whole body is a good thing." Sam looked into Artemis' eyes. Her eyes were turned blue from the replacement of bodily fluids and in kind of scared her. Before, blue eyes meant memories and pain. Now she couldn't even tell.

"Sam, I'm fine. I feel fine!" Right then Artemis brought her hand up to her head.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just whispering." She hadn't stopped hearing the whispering since she absorbed the Matrix energy. Before it was unrecognizable, but now she could hear select words as if a conversation was in progress between Primus and the Primes. "Look, let me see Bulkhead then I'll come back."

"There's nothing you can do for him." Arcee said with almost a whimper. She was afraid of losing someone again.

"You don't know that." Artemis snapped at her a little too loudly because Arcee turned away from her. "Please?"

"Alright." Sam whispered and allowed Artemis to walk past her. Artemis peeked into the room where Ratchet was working on Bulkhead. It seemed appropriate to keep his body away from the kids who would be horrified by the sight of him. Wheeljack, who hadn't left Bulkhead's side since hearing the news, was sitting out in the hall next to the entrance with Miko. They were up to something.

"Miko, are you alright?" She got closer to the two who flinched at her voice; both of their minds were somewhere else. Miko didn't respond for once.

"And you, they said you were bleeding blue." He said in order to change the subject.

"It's nothing, probably a side effect from my mission. Hold that thought." Artemis abandoned the two out in the hallway and went in to see Ratchet. He was working quickly and for moments at a time, would pause and question himself.

"How's he doing Ratchet?"

"I'm hardly getting a pulse." He said with a defeated tone.

"Ratchet, if anyone can fix Bulkhead, you can. Don't give up."

"There's so much damage."

"Keep working." Artemis paused for a moment. "Do you need an extra pair of hands?"

"You are in no shape to help."

"You don't know that. I mean you guys have Energon pulsing through you twenty four seven and you're just fine."

"Not the same."

"Do you need help Ratchet?" There was a long pause between them. Ratchet held a transfusion cord in his hand, thinking over his options.

"Yes."

**In the Hall**

Sam cuddled next to Miko, patting her back steadily. She just couldn't believe that someone would get the best of Bulkhead like that. She just thought about his body flung towards them as he came in from his mission. How he seemed to have just been hit. All of sudden something came to mind.

"What if the thing that tried to scrap Bulkhead is still there?" She whispered, but Wheeljack and Miko heard her perfectly. "I mean I'm sure we can track them down, it wasn't that long ago."

"Then we get payback for what that guy did to our Bulk!" Miko said with a glistening smile. Wheeljack stood up abruptly nodding at the two of them. When they managed to get the ground bridge opened unnoticed, locked onto the Jackhammer, Sam didn't follow.

"Are you coming?" He asked, giving Sam an odd look. For a moment, Sam thought about nodding and chasing after her partner, but for once she thought about it.

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Someone needs to be here when Bulkhead wakes up and to cover for you if they ask where you are." Sam smiled softly and nodded. "You can borrow my partner for this mission Miko; just bring him back in one piece."

Wheeljack and Miko exchanged looks, becoming closer. They looked back at Sam who had made up her mind that she would stay. They both nodded and left for the Jackhammer. She was never one to prey or wish, but she folded her hands together and held them to her face, prey for their safe return.

"Hey Sam, where's Miko?" Rafael asked, holding his computer under his arm. Sam smiled and shrugged.

"I don't know."

**The Nemesis**

Mira sat on the Knockout's shoulder, looking over the results to the experiments they went through. He went through every bit of the data he gathered, but nothing abnormal had jumped out at him. Well, other than a human filled with Energon. Not that Mira was complaining, any step away from being human made her cheer, but lord Megatron was a bit sore about being unable to extract the Matrix energy from her.

"Everything seems intact, your organs seem to be functioning just fine running on Energon instead of-"

"Blood, gooey, red, oozing, blood."

"Uggg, stop that, you're making me nauseous." Knockout shook his head trying to get the image out of his head. "Have you been experiencing anything strange?"

"Talking, just more talking. I used to hear the back thoughts of Unicron, but now I hear other voices. Dark taunting voices, just more like minded company." Mira thought about the voices. One was dark and if it were truly a prime, she could only think of one who would match its description, The Fallen. The Fallen however, never spoke directly to her, only whispered to the others trapped with him about her and referred to her as 'the vessel."

"What are they saying?" His curiosity made him ask, but his duty to Megatron made him pursue the question for its answer.

"That, is something that I must discuss with my lord and for you to ask about later." She jumped down from her perch and left the room.

Mira felt her heart jump and her body cringe as if it were trying to adapt to something. Knockout said everything was working fine with the Energon replacement, so why did it feel different. She found her way to the control room and leaned against the wall. Megatron was busy talking with his Soundwave, who was concerned about Hard Shell's delay.

"Mira, I see you listening in the corner." He turned from looking at Soundwave to Mira, who was trying to stay unseen and unheard. She bowed her head and approached him.

"My lord, I request an audience with you regarding the Matrix energy." She jumped on Soundwave's hand as he offered it to her and held her up between them.

"Proceed."

"My lord, I am hearing voices. Voices I believe belong to dark Primes from ancient times. One I have picked out particularly as the Fallen, or Megatronus." She could tell that Soundwave was recording the conversation which made her feel uneasy. If she was wrong about anything, then it would be on record. "They speak of a transformation."

"Lord Megatron, we have a situation." A vehicon interrupted, his hands typing away.

"What is it?!" Megatron drifted away from them. Mira turned to face Soundwave who was staring at her with his blank face.

"What do you think?" She folded her arms, shifting her weight to her left foot.

"'Transformation.'" He repeated the word in her voice then pointed his long finger to his chest.

"You think when they were speaking of a transformation; you think they were talking about me?"

"Mira." Megatron's eyes were locked on her form. She nodded gently and turned towards him.

"Yes my lord?"

"Come, we are going on an Autobot hunt."

**Artemis POV**

I had to stop assisting Ratchet after a short while. For some reason, every so often, my heart would begin to beat rapidly and my body would ache. I refused to let him check me over just yet; he needed to finish Bulkhead first. I did agree to sit with Optimus out at sick bay in case it happened again.

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked in his gentle tone. I smiled up at him and shook my head.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken." I brought my knees in as the awkward moment began to set in. I wondered if I had the guts to bring up how weird it was, to have a part of him within me. Though, I wasn't sure what I had within me or even if they belonged to Optimus; if they were his memories or knowledge belonging to an earlier prime.

"I was thinking. Part of the Matrix is now within you." Optimus broke the silence and I was grateful that he brought it up.

"I regret that I could not return that piece of you, Optimus."

"It is no longer part of me, for now it has chosen you. Even so, I know it is in good hands." He looked down at me and the moment our eyes met, a voice in my head began to talk to me, whispering to me in the back of my head.

"Holder of the Matrix shared." My eyes grew wide as a turned away from Optimus and brought my hand to my head.

"Who are you?"

"I am Prima."

"You were the first Prime."

"I was the first born on Cybertron." I stopped and turned back to Optimus who had a worried look on his face. I wondered if I was talking within my head or if I was talking out loud.

"Excuse me Optimus, I need to get some sleep." I laid down on the gurney, easily drifting off to sleep despite the insanity. I found myself in the usual setting; the metal ground of my mind's Cybertron was welcoming. However, the bot that stood before her was not Primus. He looked ancient yet strong; symbols coated his armor from head to toe. He was shorter than Primus, but as I had come to find out, most bots were. Though he was taller than Optimus so that was an achievement in itself.

"You hid me from my brother?"

"He worries enough, I'll tell him later."

"Artemis, I wish to inform you about future events."

"Okay?"

"The Matrix was never meant for an alien host."

"Human."

"A human host, however, the matrix shared has provided you with something very gifted. A transformation."

"Transformation?"

"The shard will mutate in order to contain the matrix's information. In doing so, it has changed you as well."

"Energon that's pulsing through me, it was a result of the shard."

"Yes, your body is getting ready and when it is, I want you to be open to the transformation with open arms. Rejecting it could be harmful, but if you accept it, I think you will find it beneficial."

"I would accept it openly if I knew what it was."

"Ah, ah, ah, not telling."

"A prime with a sense of humor, how rar-" My dream world was shaking, I knew automatically that someone was waking me. I wished to ask Prima more questions, but that wasn't possible. I woke up violently and gave my waker a stern look, but softened when I saw it was Sam.

"Bulkhead's awake."

"Artemis." Optimus was staring at the computers with a sorrowful look on his face. "Decepticon movement, with a new signal."

"Good to see my sister is keeping up with me. I'm with you Optimus, where they headed."

"There closing in on Wheeljack." I thought for a second wondering when Wheeljack went out for a joy ride. Then I realized I hadn't seen Miko around either. Sam was hiding her face from me and I turned giving her an angry expression.

"What are you hiding Sam?!"

**Cliff Side**

Wheeljack pined Hard Shell's large arm to the ground with his sword. He turned only for a moment to watch the Jackhammer fly away with Miko inside. It was only because he cared about her. Letting her stay and be bait for the incoming Decepticon reinforcements would be irresponsible. He took his other sword and was about to take his revenge for his fallen Wrecker when a strong hit to the back made him jump forward over the insecticons body.

"Nice try, Wrecker, but we won't give you the satisfaction." A tall, slender, black and purple femme bot stood calmly next Megatron proudly, giving off an evil smile. Wheeljack looked down and realized that she had taken his kill and ended Hard Shell's life.

"No mercy even among the ranks, huh, Decepticon." He picked up his one sword that lay next to him and inched closer to the one that was blown closer towards him as well.

"Even if Hardshell did retrieve the relic like he was supposed to, in a situation like this it would be better he died at my hand, then at yours." The female bot stepped forward in front of Megatron in case he was to attempt to strike him.

"Who are you?"

"Don't recognize me Wheeljack? I guess I don't blame you. It seems you always see me with a different face." The bot turned when she head the activation of a ground bridge and found Optimus and Artemis comes out from it. "Sister."

"Mira?" Artemis jumped down from Optimus' shoulder.

"How do I look? The Decepticon look suits me well, doesn't it?"

"It always has my sister." She growled back at Mira who frowned slightly and smiled again.

"Touché." Mira began to inch towards Artemis and Optimus, but Megatron stops her.

"Optimus is mine." He told her in an almost ordering tone. She nodded slightly and stepped back, turning towards Wheeljack again.

"Artemis, help Wheeljack." Optimus switched to his blades and approached Megatron slowly. Artemis nodded and ran to Wheeljack's aid. When she was finally at his side, she got a good look at her sister's new form. Her red tinted eyes were perfect for her devilish nature, her body was covered in jagged edges, and the Decepticon emblem etched into the center of her chest.

"Come here sister, I'll squish you like a bug."

"No thanks, I'll stay right here." She activated her blaster and got in a good position next to Wheeljack. "We need to fight smart Wheeljack, not hard." Though her pleas went on deaf ears, he was already on Mira. Their blades clashed against each other as she taunted him. Artemis tried to assist Wheeljack by blasting at Mira's feet, keeping her unstable, but he completely ignored her help and tried to overpower Mira himself.

**Artemis POV**

The first thing I heard was a grunt. Next I saw rocks fly as part of the cliff tumbled down to the ground below along with Wheeljack. Then I heard a broken transmission from Agent Fowler saying he was close by. Finally, I saw Optimus' body crash into the mountain side. I was stuck in limbo. I wanted to tell Agent Fowler to stay away, my body wanted to rush to Wheeljack's aid, and my emotions wanted me to rush to Optimus' side. While my mind tried to decide what to do, I was unaware that Mira had set her sights on me.

I felt foolish when Mira's hand smack against my side, sending my flying into the mountain face. I could have sworn my arm was broken, but even then my eyes darted between Optimus, the sky which held the approaching Agent Fowler and broken edge of the cliff side where Wheeljack was lying at the bottom of. She grinned down at me, seeing me totally zoned out. Suddenly, Optimus sent Megatron off the cliff side as well, which drew her attention. She growled then looked at me briefly.

"I'll be back to finish you off." Mira charged at Optimus, shoving her weight against him so that he would fall to the ground where she could attempt to get an advantage. I crawled over to the cliff side and peered over the side. Wheeljack's middle was completely submerged in rubble; his head rocked from side to side which suggested that he was in pain.

"You okay Wheeljack!?" When I got no answer, I took that as a bad sign. I heard guns firing then electricity and looked up to find my worst nightmare. Mira was scanning a vehicle mode. "Great." I stood up and found myself dizzy. "What the-" The dizziness was followed by my pain becoming enveloped in pain. At first, I thought it was from being rammed into the cliff side, but then I remembered Prima mentioning a transformation. "Is this it?"

**Optimus POV**

I couldn't get a good shot at Mira. She had me facing away from her as I kneeled in the dirt and the blade that dug deep into my left shoulder made it impossible to turn around. I grunted in pain when he plunged it deeper, I had to support myself on my hands as well just to keep her from tearing it right through me. I heard her slightly laugh when my hands were firmly on the ground then she violently, without remorse, tore the blade out from my body and slammed her foot against my back.

If my left arm wasn't so weak from the wound in my shoulder, I might have been able to force her off me, but she was putting all her strength into keeping me down. I was glad to notice the disappointment in her face when I turn to see she was hoping to force my face into the dirt. She sideswiped her arm over my head forcing me to turn away from her then without warning, she snatched my left arm and pulled it back towards her.

Not wanting to give her any joy, I tilted my head away from the ground to look up at her. Though she was still upset that she didn't force me down, she had something more sinister planned for me now, I could tell. I felt her reposition her foot next to my left shoulder and then grab my left arm with her other hand. Then with as much force as she could muster, began pulling and tugging at my left arm.

"Megatron might want to be the one to end you, Optimus, but he said nothing about taking a trophy to hang on my wall!" Mira pulled roughly on my arm and I gasped in pain as I could feel the wound growing larger. I could no longer move my left hand which meant my wiring must have been severely damaged. One more tug and I would lose my arm.

"Mira!" I heard the angry scream ring in my audio receptors followed by a large red and black Autobot shoving Mira off the edge of the cliff. I felt the immediate relief in my arm as I got back to my knees and gripped my arm tightly to ease the breaching. I was glad that the bot had saved me just before my arm was severed.

I looked over at my savior who was looking over the cliff side at Megatron and, now, Mira. It was a femme bot, tall and thin, and very familiar looking. She looked back at me, the mask's panels that covered her face retreated to either side of her face and she came and clutched my arm gently.

"Optimus, are you okay?" My optics widened when the voice that came out of the bots mouth was familiar and recognizable.

"Artemis?" I saw her smile awkwardly and shrug.

"I don't know." She answered the unspoken question then looked back at the cliff side briefly. "Let's get Wheeljack and roll out of here."

"I agree." I watched her go to the part of the cliff that had crumbled away almost clumsily and skid down to Wheeljack's side. "Ratchet, bridge us back."

**Autobot Base**

Bulkhead sat on the metal slab, smiling down at Miko in which Arcee and Bumblebee fetched from the Jackhammer after receiving a distress call. When the ground bridge opened, he saw Optimus walk in with a damaged arm and then Wheeljack leaning on an unknown femme bot. He didn't really pay attention to the mystery bot at first.

"What happened to you?" He said jokingly and Optimus smiled at him.

"I'm glad you are all right Bulkhead." Where the only words his leader offered him. Ratchet was already prepared to fix Optimus' arm, leading him towards a place to sit down. The mystery set Wheeljack next to Bulkhead, allowing the two have their brotherly moment.

"Welcome back Bulkhead, you had me worried." The bot said with a voice so familiar.

"Do I know you?" Bulkhead looked at her questioningly.

"Artemis?!" Sam's jaw dropped and the words echoed through the base making everyone exchange a surprised look.

"Surprise?" Artemis shrugged and patted Bulkhead's engine block. She turned to look at Ratchet who was looking up at her with major curiosity. "I can explain AFTER you fix Optimus and Wheeljack."

"I bet that's one heck of a story." Ratchet sighed and began working on Optimus' arm.

"Do you have a vehicle mode yet?" Sam asked which began the bombardment of questions surely to come.

"No, not yet." Artemis said with utmost caution.

"You could be a monster truck!" Miko exclaimed.

"No way, a limousine!"

"Or a mechanical crane!"

"Or a tank!"

"Hey, hey don't I get a say in this!" Artemis shouted over the two fighting children which started a bout of laughter from the Autobots. Even Optimus, who never laughs, cries, or loses his cool, let out a small breath of a laugh as he watched his partner squabble over the two girls.


	17. Ch 17: Transportations and Negotiations

The Human Prime

Chapter 17: Negotiations and Transportations

"Tell me again why we stopped waiting on the side of the highway?" Sam grumbled as she hung her head out the window. Optimus was such a smooth driver, the wind slipped through her hair easily instead of the usual violent whipping.

"Because after the third day of hearing you complain about how tall my robot form was, I decided we weren't going to find a suitable candidate for a vehicle mode." Artemis sighed heavily as she sunk down in the driver's seat. For the past few days, Sam had been taking her out to find a vehicle mode large enough to allow an easy transition. Lucky her when she realized that she was taller than Ratchet, but shorter than Optimus, such an awkward in-between size that would be too small for an eighteen wheeler like Optimus, but too big to match a pick-up truck or ambulance like Ratchet.

"And you think we'd have better luck at X-tech?" Sam peered over her shoulder at her.

"I remembered that we had taken a project some time ago as a favor to a local car manufacturer. We were to build a high tech truck. The car manufacturer got shot down before it could be finished, but I'm pretty sure it was completed a few months ago and put into the vault." Artemis smiled at the steering wheel. "Thanks for driving us there, Optimus."

"Wait, wait. The vault?"

"That's where we put the finished projects." As Optimus finally arrived at the X-Tech building, he drove around to the entrance they used before. Artemis told Sam to wait there and jumped out to go fetch Gregory and Burgundy. Elson, while she was gone, did good work of rushing the working scientists away from the truck.

"Elson!" Burgundy called from the other side of the room, motioning for them to follow. Elson and Burgundy walked close together, Burgundy especially close by trying to hang on him every opportunity he had.

"Hey Burgundy, are you…gay?" Sam asked almost awkwardly, but he only turned and smiled at her.

"Yes, I like men, but is that so strange?" He almost was unreal about his open he was and in a way, she could tell why Artemis liked to have him around. In something so serious and so sneaky, it's nice to have someone so trustworthy and sweet working in the office.

"No, no, it's not strange a little, but I mean."

"It is strange. It is unnatural." Elson said firmly and it made it sound like he was a very traditional person, but at the same time, he was friends with Burgundy so he mustn't mind too much.

"Would you two stop babbling?" Artemis was standing in front of a large vault. She shooed them away, telling them only Gregory and herself were allowed inside. Once the two were gone, she opened the vault door only enough for Optimus to drive in. Gregory shut the door as they walked through.

"Why are we in here anyways?" Gregory turned then scrambled against the vault when he saw his boss turn into a large robot along with the truck. "Holy-"

"It is fine Gregory, stay calm." Artemis eased her coworker and told him to just turn away if it made him uncomfortable.

"Whoa!" Sam went up to the truck and circled it slowly. It looked like a normal truck on the outside. Medium in size, it only had about sixteen wheels in all which most were incorporated in trailer that was normally sized.

"Oh good, I thought this would be too big too." Artemis knelt next to the truck, gently removing the trailer from it.

"It's no Optimus, but it's still a cool truck." Sam opened the door and found it to be very general. "What's so high tech about it?"

"It wasn't meant to be high tech per say, but it was supposed to carry as much as a larger truck with half the size. Not a huge feat, but it works." Artemis cringed at the paint job that she had delegated to Gregory, so she ecstatic at her red and black armor that would surely liven up the features of the truck.

"This should be fine for someone your size." Optimus reassured her which made her jumpy spark relax for a bit.

"Well, here goes nothing." She stood up and back and tried to get a good angle to scan the truck. Within moments, her optics scanned the vehicle's details. She stared in blank space for a while, not sure how to go about the transition and a little frightened of the sensation. She wasn't sure how it would feel, how she would function, or even if she would be able.

"You'll be okay." He sensed her discomfort and touched her shoulder gently. Artemis nodded and smiled, finally feeling ready. The transformation was simpler than she thought, within moments she was a truck. Seeing was weird, it was like being in a room of TV screens. She could look at one at a time and see different angles.

"Nice! I call shot gun!" Sam opened the door, but Artemis immediately slammed it close.

"Ah, ah, ah. No way, I'm not transforming into a truck and letting someone ride inside me all in the same day." She practiced turning the wheel and the acceleration trying to get used to driving instead of walking. "Gregory, open the vault, we're out of here."

Optimus transformed and allowed Sam to ride with him. They drove out of the building and everyone wondered where Artemis went off too.

**The Nemesis**

Mira watch Knockout in the shadows, waiting for him to pass by before grabbing him by the wheels on his back and pulling him into her. She loved how he got extremely annoyed when she'd pull and push him around. When she show Knockout her transformation, he was fascinated. The fascination quickly grew into irritation as he discovered that she was taller than him by a head. She made sure not to let him forget it, pulling him around, leaning her elbow on his head, anything she could do to get him to blow a gasket.

Mira also discovered another effect of her change, her looks. She had a slender figure that the troopers couldn't stop staring at. She wondered for days how she could take advantage of that in the future. For now, she only played with Knockout as she waited for her lord to give her an order. Mira dragged Knockout towards the laboratory.

"You know Knockout; it's been awhile since our lord has issued an order. Maybe he's sick." When they entered the room she dropped him on the floor and sat up on the metal table.

"Uggg, why must you do that?!" He brushed his shoulder. "He is waiting for Soundwave to decode more coordinates." She noticed an edge in his voice as he mentioned Soundwave's name. After the missions, Mira found Knockout to be considerable short with Soundwave, snapping at him for the smallest things. She guessed that he was bitter about Lord Megatron feeling Soundwave was more significant than he was. Which, she agreed with him, but no way would she tell Knockout that.

"That could take weeks." No offense to Soundwave, but they've had the information in their hands for quite some time. She was being nice just by saying it would take weeks. "By the time he decodes them the Autobots would have sniffed them all out."

He didn't respond which made her upset that he was no long paying attention to her. She got up and slammed her heel strut in between Knockout's legs. He snapped out of it, very startled. In the process, her knee made a dinging noise which suggested that something came loose. Her face turned from angry to child-like.

"Ow." Mira limped back to the table to support her and felt her leg. Knockout sighed heavily and finally got up from the floor.

"Let me see that." He watched her get up on the table again and extend her leg out towards him painfully. He lightly touched her leg, tracing up to her knee then cradled it as he examined it. She smirked at his concentrating face. It was the first time she saw him take medicine so seriously. Suddenly, she jerked her head back as she got a huge headache. Knockout didn't even notice her clutch her head.

Mira saw three bots, gathering around dusty earth as the conversed about Lord Megatron. She heard the name of a planet be repeated over and over again. Then her head stopped hurting and she was looking up at the bright light on the ceiling. She smiled and noticed she had no more pain in her knee.

"Alright, I think that would-" She kicked him in his headlight sending him to the ground and stood up.

"I need to talk to Lord Megatron." Mira stormed out of the room.

**Woods**

"Piece of scrap!" Starscream threw the Apex Armor on the ground. The gestured caused him to start breathing fairly heavily. "At this rate, I'll starve to death! What good is it being invincible if I waste away to nothing?!" The armor had wasted a lot of his energy since it was an extremely big strain on his muscles to move in.

He sighed and picked up the armor, holding it in his palm as he continued to the edge of the forest. He hoped if he found his way out that he'd locate an abandoned mine with enough stock piled Energon to last him a long travel. When he finally could see the end of the woods, he poked his head out and then scrambled back behind brush. Lord Megatron, a girl, Knockout, and Dreadwing, were walking towards the entrance into a cave.

"I'm sure that the coordinates I mentioned will lead to a planet with those three bots." The girl said, sitting on Lord Megatron's shoulder like a pet.

"Mira, how do you know they are still alive? You memories are usual that of the far past." Dreadwing questioned which made her turn with a scowl on her face.

"This was not a memory, it was a vision. There's a difference. They will be there." Mira, the girl, turned her head back towards Megatron's audio receptors. "Besides, any reinforcement is an edge against the Autobots."

"Reinforcements, hmm." Starscream crawled forward a little, trying to get a better ear on things. A twig snapped beneath him, making the girl turn and fire a blaster from her black suit straight at him. It caused a lot of dust and he could feel a pain in his side rush through him. He knew he has to get out of here before they would investigate. He rushed back into the woods as fast as he could.

"What is it Mira?" Dreadwing held the sword on his back, ready to strike, but waiting for the explanation of her reaction. She stared at the spot where she shot at and remained silent for a while.

"It's nothing, anyways-"

**Patrol**

Artemis walked lazily through the forest. As an Autobot, she found it to be a lot easier to walk in heavy thicket like this one had. She jumped off a ledge that was a lot smaller than she remembered and was about to turn back when she noticed drops of Energon beneath her feet. She activated her blaster, which also felt a little weird, and carefully followed the trail. She peeked around a rock and saw Starscream, holding his side.

She was about to reveal herself, when she noticed a metal slab next to him. Artemis looked closer and found it to be the Apex Armor. She was reminded of the disappointment in Optimus' optics as he recalled how he lost the armor to Starscream. She ducked back behind the side of the rock and nodded at herself, deciding to make a dive for the armor.

It was over quickly, it didn't take much energy for her to take him on. Artemis leapt quickly for the armor, making Starscream flinch and tried to grab the armor from out of her hand as she broke back away from him. She pointed her blaster at him and he froze.

"Who are you?!" He snapped at her angrily then noticed the Autobot insignia on her chest.

"That's right, we were never face to face before." She raised the blaster to his forehead and he covered his face with his arms.

"Why would an Autobot jump a defenseless life form? I'm injured! Helpless." He pleaded.

"I think we both know you aren't as helpless as you look." Artemis sighed and tucked the armor underneath her arm.

"If you're going to take my property, at least patch me up!" He was negotiating which she wasn't sure if he truly believed it would work or was his way of determining what kind of person she was. Either way, she knew she had to do something to help his wound. She did after all 'kick him while he was down.'

"You look pathetic."

"You try living on empty for weeks on end!" Starscream yelled, trying to defend his condition.

"You're tank's empty?" This made her feel even worse. Not only did she attack a wounded life form, but one that was suffering. "Alright, alright, I'll help you in exchange for the Apex armor."

"I know a place with a sick bay."

**The Harbinger**

Artemis eased Starscream on the medical table. She looked around and found equipment on the table next to it along with a T-cog. She knew he couldn't transform, this must have been his attempt to get normality. She told him that she would return with Energon as she left with the armor in hand.

"Ratchet, you there?"

"Artemis? Why are you contacting me on this frequency?"

"Because I don't want Optimus to know, I need you to come to my location with your medical kit. Bring Bulkhead with you; I need him to take something back to base." She said while examining the Apex armor.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Nothing, just come here and don't tell Optimus. Not yet anyways." She waited patiently as the ground bridge opened in front of her and Ratchet and Bulkhead came forward. "Here Bulk, take this back to base. I'll call you when to bridge us back."

"The Apex Armor? How'd you get it?" He took it from her hand and took at her surprised.

"I'll tell you later, just keep it on the down low okay?"

"Yeah, okay." He went back through the ground bridge and when the portal disappeared Ratchet turned toward her.

"Okay, what going on?"

"You have a patient." Artemis led Ratchet into the sick bay where Starscream laid miserably on the slab.

"You called him!"

"You're helping him!" Ratchet screamed angrily at me as Starscream yelled as well.

"I needed his consult and he gave me the armor. Come on Ratchet, he's hurt."

"How did you get hurt this time?" He grumbled annoyingly as approached the ex-Decepticon.

"An encounter with the Decepticons and their human pet." Starscream growled and hissed at Ratchet as he began his rough treatment of his wounds. "Careful!"

"Human, you saw Mira? Where, they couldn't be far if you can't fly. What were they doing?"

"I don't disclose information for free." Starscream insisted. Artemis sighed then looked back over at the tools.

"What if I had something to offer?"

"What could you offer me?" He looked at her curiously.

"Information," She picked up the T-cog and held out towards him. "For a T-cog transplant."

"Artemis!" Ratchet shouted, upset that she was offering his services out to a bot killer.

"Deal?" She said loudly to shout over Ratchet. Starscream tapped his chin coyly, thinking over his options.

"Artemis, huh." He said slowly as if the name would mean something to him; say something about the deal she offered. "Deal."

**Autobot Base**

"According to Starscream, Mira is bringing in three bots that were on exodus on a different planet as reinforcements. He said it sounded like she was pretty excited about them, which is a really bad sign." Artemis said, her arms folded and her jaw clenched.

"While I question your wisdom in negotiating with Starscream without my consent, I am glad you managed to retrieve such vital information." Optimus nodded at Artemis in approval which she smiled and nodded back.

"But that doesn't mean anything! We still don't know who they are." Wheeljack interrupted.

"No, but if I know my sister, I know that she won't be able to wait to jump the new muscle on us as soon as Megatron gives the okay. We should draw them out; see what we're up against." She suggested.

"We have to be careful though. Until we see them with our own eyes, were blind." Arcee warned.

"I agree we must be cautious in bringing out these new enemies." Optimus thought for a moment, making everyone edgy. "We will use the artifacts to lead them to us."

"Wouldn't that be risky?" Artemis began to question her leader's sanity, but Ratchet stepped in to finish Optimus' thought.

"Not if there's no relic to be used against us. We'll stage a finding and lead them straight to us."

**Space Bridge**

Mira set in the location in the space bridge's systems and opened it. They all waited endlessly, waiting for something to walk through. She knew the coordinates were right, she wondered what took so long. Knockout shook his head and stepped between her and the space bridge.

"I think you confused memory with insight." Knockout didn't see anyone step out from the space bridge and walk toward him. "Whoever it was probably died eons ago!" Suddenly he felt something firm bump into his back.

"Decepticons don't break that easy…" He looked up at an extremely tall bot. He towered over Mira and even Dreadwing and could almost match Lord Megatron. The two behind him descended in height. The blue and black one matched Knockout's height and the black and purple one next to him was much smaller.

"Easy, K.O. These are Lightning Assassins. Quick and Sneaky, the best killers of the wars century." Mira folded his servos, pleased to see that her information was correct.

"Identify yourselves." Megatron sounded pleased as well.

"I am RazorMane." The tall one said first, his dull coloring and small face suggested he was more of a bot of action rather than words.

"I am ShadowVolt." The blue and black one seemed uneasy, but one hundred percent cooperative.

"QuickStep." The black and purple said, her voice was gently and childlike, but maturing.

"You are under my command now, do you understand?" Megatron waited for them all to nod which he counted as a sign of loyalty and turned to leave.

"This id Dreadwing, second in command. Knockout, your physician. And I-"

"She is my second lieutenant." He interrupted which made her turn and examine his expression. "You have proven yourself to me Mira, I feel confident that you won't make me regret the decision."

"Thank you, my lord." She watched him walk off, so she turned back to the group.

"We have an Autobot signal." Dreadwing warned her as he got a message from the warship.

"Do we?" Mira thought long then turned to her trio. "You three are going hunting."

**Stone Face**

Artemis jumped down from a higher level and joined Optimus. A cold shiver ran down her spine. They were coming; it was only a matter of time before they began their strike. She felt his hand brush up against her shoulder.

"Easy." He took point as she activated her blasters.

"I hear them."

"Here they come."

"Optimus!" Arcee screamed. A small purple and black bot was running towards her quickly. When she got close enough, Arcee swung at her, but the bot jumped and windmill kicked her off the side. Bulkhead stumbled slight, trying to get back into the groove of things and tried to embed her into the ground. The bot jumped and followed Arcee into the trees below.

"Arcee!" Artemis screamed, jumping down to Bulkhead's level where Bumblebee caught up with the action. She then, against Optimus orders, skidded down after the running Decepticon. When she got down, she made sure to locate Arcee first.

"Watch out!" Right as she said that, a black and blue bot passed by her, like lightning. Artemis kept eye contact with him, turning her body as he went by. When she turned all the way, expecting to see him attack, he was gone.

"What the-"

"Arcee, Artemis!" Optimus and the others came running towards them. Artemis was about to run to meet them half way when something wrapped around her middle.

"Huh?" She turned and saw a very tall bot, holding a lash made of metal panels. The blue bot that was standing next to him took hold of the lash and gripped it tight. Without a warning, electricity jolted through Artemis' systems. "Scrap."

Arcee was holding off the smaller Decepticon, whose energy was causing her to become exhausted. Bulkhead intervened and threw his body weight at her, but she jumped away. Optimus helped Artemis out of the lash and to her feet, looking around at his warriors. The three Decepticons stood in place together, waiting for words from the might Optimus, rival of their lord.

"Autobots!" Optimus paused for a moment, noting the sad expression of the blue Decepticon. "…Fall back." The others began to blast at the three bots as they retreated towards where the ground bridge would open. In moments they were gone and the three were left to contemplate.

"Our lord and commander will not be pleased we let them escape." RazorMane swung the lash back around his neck, forming his 'mane.'

"They retreated which means we won this day. Let's head back." ShadowVolt turned, getting ready to jump up and transform.

"ShadowVolt, are you okay?" Quickstep got closer to him, but he jumped up and flew away before she could touch him.

"War is never pretty, Quickstep. Let's report." RazorMane flew off after him followed by Quickstep.


	18. Ch 18: Primal

The Human Prime

Chapter 18: Primal

I looked at my heel struts, lying on the ground of my inner conscious. It hadn't occurred to me that being a Cybertronian would be this wondrous. It took some getting used to of course. I still hit my head on tree branches and I still drift off the road when I'm not paying attention. Other than that, I have found being an Autobot to be an experience.

My teachings have extended to Optimus' territory besides Primus and Prima. It's funny how we have gotten so much closer now that he can tell me things as a Cybertronian instead of human. Sometimes I wonder why he never tells me anything personal, but I don't push him to do so.

My thoughts were interrupted by a low growling. I turned, but couldn't find any sign of Prima or Primus anywhere. I stood up and looked around more intensely. Still I found no source for the growling. For the first time in my own world, the sun had set and the golden glow of the metallic ground was dowsed in black. I saw eyes, split pupils like a beast. I called out to it, but it did not respond. It was many moments of complete silence before it spoke.

"You think you are a Cybertronian, but you are nothing, but a lowly human."

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"You have yet to grasp the savageness in your heart, the pure primitive instinct of a beast." I could feel claws brush up against my back strut which made me jump. "You have yet to conquer your primal heart."

I woke up in a heavy sweat. I wondered if I could consider that a dream or a message from a prime within me. I sat up and looked down at the central below me. I got up and asked what was new. Optimus was gone along with Bumblebee and Arcee, Bulkhead was confined to base because of his recent injuries.

"They left without me?" For some reason, I felt angry and betrayed when Ratchet told me. I violently slammed my fist into the file cabinet and stormed off. I didn't know why, but I was just angry.

**After School**

Sam whistled at Artemis as she jogged up the stairs. Her bonding with Wheeljack had ended for the day and all she wished to do now was to spend time with her, plus a little homework help. She set up her work station; pencils and notebooks swarmed on the coffee table, and stared at Artemis intensely.

"What?" Artemis snapped at her, but Sam didn't notice the harshness.

"Aren't you going to help me?"

"Do it yourself." She growled and retreated back upstairs. Sam dropped her pencil, stood up, and went to bug Ratchet.

"Doc, is something wrong with Artemis?" She waited for him to finish his work.

"Why do you ask?" He raised his head from the microscope to look at her.

"Artemis is acting really weird."

"How so?"

"Well she snapped at me when I asked her for help. She's never done that before." Bulkhead overheard the conversation and joined in.

"Well maybe she's just tired. I mean she's entitled to an off day." What he was saying was true, but Ratchet seemed to agree with Sam that something wasn't right with Artemis.

"She was particularly angry when I told her the others left without her. She was never one to lose her temper on something like that." He looked up at the bedroom area and questioned himself on how to do this. "I will talk to her."

**Later that Day**

Optimus returned with the relic he has discovered. While it was disappointingly insignificant, he was pleased to know it would not be in Decepticon hands. Ratchet approached his leader with a worried glance.

"Optimus, I fear something may be wrong with Artemis." He peered over to the girl sitting on the stairs, listening annoyingly at the stories the others had to tell about their trip.

"What?" Optimus' optics bore into Artemis' figure. Anything wrong with her was usually pretty serious. Ratchet attempted to find the right words to explain.

"You see, she has been acting very oddly. Angry, aggressive, and utterly rude, I attempted to confront her today and she shouted at me. I worry that the transformation into an Autobot has tampered with her judgment." He was about to continue when Artemis screamed his name. "What?!" Ratchet screamed, his heart skipping a beat from the startle.

"I can't transform. I can't become an Autobot!"

**Artemis POV**

I sat still as Ratchet scanned my entire body. I shouted at him once or twice for taking so long, but he only scoffed at me. He said there was nothing physically wrong with me, but I wondered. I wondered if the transformation was only temporary or if my current condition was a result of my dream from last night.

In a bout of anger, I flipped over the metal tabled next to the gurney. I stopped over to my hover board and declared that I was going for a walk and not to bother me. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I felt so infuriated as if a fire was lit in my stomach. It felt strange floating above on the ground on my hover board. When I wasn't driving down the road AS the truck, I was riding in Optimus or on his shoulder.

I didn't realize where I was going until I was almost there. I was on the trail to my home. I hopped off and to my horror, began sniffing around and crawling on all fours. My body's actions gave me a hint to why I was here. My senses were heightened; I could smell Energon on the ground. I got off the ground and followed the sent only a few feet before I heard a voice that startled me.

"Artemis?" Sam asked, getting out of Optimus and tip toeing towards her.

"Sam! I told you not to follow! Are you stupid?!" I growled and for the first time, I was scared of myself. I kneeled down in the dirt and covered my head with my arms. "Something's wrong with me…something's wrong with me."

Sam rubbed my back, making soothing circles to calm me down. I was rocking by now, whispering that I was sick. I felt Sam try to take me to Optimus to go back to base, but I turned and looked back up the trail. I could hear whispering and for a moment, I thought it could be just my imagination, but in my heart I knew it was the fast warriors.

"Optimus, there's someone there."

"I will investigate. Sam, take Artemis home."

**Autobot Base**

"There was no one there Artemis." Arcee frowned as Artemis threw a fit. She yelled and screamed as she swore that there was someone there. "Artemis-"

"Don't respond to her. She's ill." Ratchet mentioned as he began scanning her head to toe for the third time since she returned. "Or, at least I think she is."

"I don't act like this Ratchet, there has to be something wrong with me!"

"Well, have you experienced anything strange these past couple days? Nausea, Aches, pains…nightmares?" Artemis flinched when he finished. She wondered for a long time whether to mention the vision/dream she had last night.

"No." She whispered, but the others didn't hear her.

"What?"

"NO! I SAID NO!" Artemis turned on Sam who was sitting quietly. "SHOULDN'T YOU BE IN BED?!" She was breathing heavy and then shook her head, covering her eyes with her palms. "I'm sorry." Sam was frowning at her, but then suddenly smiled and got up.

"It's okay, you're right. I do need to go to bed." She stood up and started maneuvering her way past the bots to the stairs. "Good night everybody!"

"Good Night." Most of them responded, except for Optimus, Ratchet, and Artemis. Optimus looked steadily at Ratchet who nodded at him softly. Then with precise gentleness he brought his digit to her back, poking her softly. She turned and found he palm open to her. This usually meant 'get on we're going for a drive.'

Artemis crawled into his hand and with that he transformed and drove out the front entrance. She usually loved sitting in her truck, feeling how he took the harsh curves so smoothly, but right now she felt confined. Trapped like an animal and it made her stomach jump and turn. When he stopped at a cliff with perfect view of the stars, she immediately jumped out, gasping for breath as if she had been holding it the whole time.

"Alright, what did you see?" Optimus did not transform back in case someone were to drive down the road this time of night. Artemis was crouched in the dirt, her knuckles turning white from her squeezing them so hard and pressing them against the ground. "What did you dream?"

"I saw nothing, but utter blackness at first and heard low growling like a monster. Then there were these beast like eyes. He was saying something about taming my beast within, whatever that means."

"Beast?"

"Care to share, Optimus?"

"Back with the thirteen primes, there was one who was the first beast transformer on Cybertron. He was known in the Covenant of Primus as Primal. It is this Prime that was said to be both intelligent and animalistic." Optimus looked down at her, but found her to be asleep. It would seem that she had a bone to pick with the one called Primal.

**The Nemesis**

"Your paintjob is horrendous!" Knockout proclaimed to RazorMane as they walked through the hallway side by side.

"Some do not need flashy appearances to feel worth." RazorMane snapped back, rather annoyed with the red bot.

"Well some do not need to brown nose to get where they are today?"

"Speak for yourself, all you do is brown nose and all you'll ever be is the below satisfactory medic. Good DAY Doctor." RazorMane sped up, leaving Knockout in the hall. Knockout growled and threw a tantrum, but he knew that there was some truth to his words.

Mira wrapped her arms around the red medic and brought him in close, hissing in his ear making him even more irritated. She hushed him when he tried to snap at her and dragged him towards the usual medical bay. After checking to make sure no one was in the hall to ease drop, she turned towards her red friend.

"What's frying your circuits?" Mira folder her arms neatly and leaned against the control panel.

"You think perhaps RazorMane had a point? Maybe my usefulness to Lord Megatron is dwindling away. Perhaps I am the next one on the scrap heap." Knockout gulped, holding his neck. Mira went into a bout of laughter.

"You are thinking too much my friend. You are irreplaceable!" She walked over and leaned over his work. He grunted and raised his brow at her.

"Why do you say that?" He shoved her off his keys and began working again. She strolled behind him, fully intending to answer his question.

"Because I'm the second lieutenant and I need you." She whispered and he snapped his head back to look at her. "Without you I'd die of boredom." He frowned and his expression of surprise turned into one of un-amusement. "You amuse me K.O, and I will always make sure that you are here to entertain me." She patted the red bots head before walking towards the exit.

"Mira."

"Yes?"

"Let Lord Megatron know about my progress."

"Of course."

**Artemis POV**

"Primal! Primal where are you?!" I yelled within my own subconscious. "You ruined everything! You're driving me crazy!" I heard nothing, but my own voice echoing in an empty world. Not even Primus or Alpha answered, there wasn't even a sign they were there.

"See what I mean?" His voice came faster than a bullet. I turned frantically trying to find where it came from, but the darkness had lain on my world again. "No control of your beast within."

"My beast? I'm angry! Humans do that. Especially when you take over their lives!"

"All I simply did was drive out those feelings that were dwelling deep beneath your smile." His voice was cold yet kind. It made me even more confused.

"I was fine smiling, I was happy!"

"Then you are still weak. Anyone who wants to live in a fantasy rather than reality cannot be trusted with the power of the primes."

"You took my transformation away to! GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK!"

"When you tame the beast within, I will."

"PRIMAL!" I woke up in Optimus again. By the looks of things, we were returning to base. I could feel the dampness of my cheeks and deduced I had been tearing in my sleep. I pressed my palm against the dash board. "That's my truck." I whispered softly, almost not loud enough to hear.

**The Nemesis**

"Say that again?" Mira listened to ShadowVolt's report, not sure if she heard correctly.

"Artemis, the human, she seemed to be very disconnected." He repeated, but she rolled her eyes at him.

"In what way?! Artemis is known for day dreaming. In what way was she disconnected?" She growled at him, shaking him violently.

"She was different. She acted almost like an animal and then got upset when the Autobots followed her. It was strange, she detected-"

"Like an Animal? And she got angry? Artemis is not easily angered." Mira slipped her hands off him and smiled. "She's slipping. She's cracked. She's more primitive now."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" Mira rushed past him, heading towards the front of the ship. She stormed in and shut the door before ShadowVolt could follow. "Soundwave, I need to place a call."

"Mira, what are you doing?" Megatron turned from his screens and watched her work on Soundwave's computer.

"I'm calling the Autobots."

"WHAT!"

"Well, actually, I'm sending them a message. ShadowVolt reported something interesting. If I'm right, I'm going to set Artemis on a killing spree." She sent the message through, hoping the Autobots would detect it and open it. "My lord, Artemis is suffering from insanity. I'm not sure what caused it or its exact details, but I know that it makes her angry. This might be our chance to end her."

Megatron stared at her for a while, finding a serious glint in her eyes that shook his spark. Within the limited time that she spent on The Nemesis, she never had such seriousness in her optics. He turned away from her, remaining silent. He tried his best to sort through her plan, he couldn't afford a huge loss, a loss that he would take is she was wrong. He finally decided that she knew her sister better than he did.

"Take ShadowVolt, RazorMane, and a unit of troopers and anyone else you feel you would need to take her down." Mira nodded at her master's proclamation and turned to gather up her soldiers. "Mira." She stopped and turned back towards him. "If you don't succeed, if you put a dent in MY army's numbers, don't bother coming back."

"Yes my lord, I understand." Mira couldn't help, but gulp as she left the room.

**Autobot Base**

Artemis let Sam rub her head as she tried to calm down. All of sudden the computer began beeping. She turned her head towards Ratchet, who began examining the source. He seemed to be extremely puzzled and attempted several combinations of keys to attempt to stop the harsh noise. Finally, after the seventh failed attempted, she stood up and peeked over at the screen. There was a message from an unknown sender stuck on the screen.

"What's going on?"

"Our computers have detected a message. I can't seem to bypass it."

"Then just open it."

"I'm not sure if that would be the safest approach." Ratchet eyed Artemis, making sure she realized the logic in his decision.

"Whoever sent it obvious thought someone would find it. Rafael is here." She looked over at the small human, playing video games with Jack and looked back at Ratchet. "He can fix any virus."

"Alright, I suppose." Immediately after Ratchet opened the message, a video popped up and all she saw was Mira's face. Artemis growled and her blood immediately began to boil.

"Hey sis, if you're watching this message it got through into the Autobot computers. I have gotten permission from my Lord to march my unit to these coordinates. I plan to burn this place to the ground in preparation for Decepticon rule."

"Don't be so confident that you'll win the war!" Artemis screamed, but Ratchet waved his hand at her.

"She can't hear you, it's a prerecorded message." He saw her tighten her grip on the railing. "Listen."

"If you have the guts, come and face me! But know that you'll be facing grim odds. If you Autobots come, I promise you. This battle will end the war." Suddenly the video went black and a map pops up with a set of coordinates.

"There's no debate! We have to chase her down!"

"This is obviously a trap, Artemis. Going would guarantee our destruction."

"Mira is one with a twisted sense of humor. I fear if we do not pursue the coordinates, she will surely burn the area to the ground." Optimus admitted, but stared at Artemis. "I'm not sure it wise that you attend."

"WHAT?! She's my enemy!"

"She's OUR enemy," Arcee interrupted. "You can't even transform Artemis, what good could you do."

"Plenty!" She stared back up at Optimus with an almost cold, ruthless expression. "You won't stop me from going."

**Funnel Canyon**

Mira stared at the empty space in front of her. The canyon funneled straight towards her where only one of the Autobots could come at her at a time. It would be easy Pickens for her. Behind her was a poor excuse for a forest, the trees were so spaced out that you could see clear across to the other side. She waited patiently and felt her heart drop when she heard a ground bridge open behind her. It seemed that they redid the coordinates to open IN FRONT of the forest.

Mira, in hopes to avoid damage, jumped up to higher ground. She noticed the bots come out of the portal two at a time, Sam riding on Bumblebee's shoulder. The last two were Optimus with Artemis riding his shoulder. She couldn't help, but ponder why Artemis did not come into battle as a bot and then it hit her. She couldn't transform.

"Seem to have a problem Dear Sister?"

"Shut it!" Artemis snapped and Mira only smiled at how easily angered she was today.

"Come now. I am merely concerned." She played.

"Yeah, just like you'd be concerned if I choked on something you shoved down my throat!" Artemis jumped off Optimus' shoulder and went to get closer to Mira, but he stopped her.

"Am I making you angry, sis? That's interesting."

"You threaten to burn down the world and you're surprised that I'm angry!"

"It could be worse. I could be threatening to kill everyone you care about. The Autobots, our Aunt Minnie...Sam."

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN THEM!" Artemis forced herself past Optimus, but when she got close enough, all the Decepticons activated their blasters and pointed them at her and the others behind her.

"Decepticons, Take aim and fire." Those words sunk into her soul, forcing her to shake violently. She couldn't move; it felt like something had cemented her to the ground. Optimus forced his warriors back, in hopes that they'd have better chances. He extended his servo towards her, hoping to protect her from the incoming fire.

**Mira POV**

I couldn't help, but smile at the large dust cloud being kicked up from the barrage. Seeing Optimus' chassis in the line of fire as he attempted to save my sister brought joy into my soul. I thought about how proud Lord Megatron would be when I told him I ended both Artemis and Optimus Prime. I was about to order my group out when I heard low growling.

"What's that sound?" RazorMane looked over at me, but I only shook my head.

"I heard this before, when I was following Artemis, but not this loud." ShadowVolt stepped back, convinced that whatever the growling sound was, was not good.

As the smoke cleared, I could see colors of red and gold emerge from the debris. When the dust had subsided, I noticed the streaks of gold and red were wings wrapped like a cocoon, protection from the blaster fire. It was quiet and it was at that point that I realized I would not end her today.

"Center Line, fall back." I called out to the troopers holding the mouth of the canyon. They listened and stepped back as the wings fluttered open. I could see Optimus, kneeling with his arms covering his faceplate, emerge from the unfolding wings. I knew right away that the growling beast was Artemis. My thoughts were interrupted by the roars of the beast as it turned and sent its deafening voice in my direction.


	19. Ch 19: Overload

The Human Prime

Chapter 19: Overload

Artemis was nothing, but a beast now. The red mask-like faceplate with three golden horns framed devil red optics and large metal jaws. The neck down to the hips reminded Mira of the torso of any femme bot. The arms were slightly muscular in order to balance the large metallic claws. The legs were powerful and large in order to balance to the long powerful tail that lay on the ground behind her. The wings, the powerful large wings, stayed slightly folded against her back. It was like an unbalanced mix of beast and warrior.

Artemis' roar echoed through the canyon. Mira was taken back by the anger behind the beast and even more so by the mere animalistic quality of its frame. She looked over at her pending soldiers, who were scared out there wits. RazorMane, who was un-phased by the human's new form, stepped towards the beast.

"Orders?" He turned towards Mira, waiting for her to say something. She simply stared between her sister and the troopers in front of her. Megatron's words echoed in her head filling her with fear and indecisiveness.

"Center Guard, Fire at will!" She turned to the many more troopers on the opposing cliff side. "The rest of you, retreat." RazorMane was about to dive down to help them, but she grabbed his shoulder. "I said, retreat." ShadowVolt and RazorMane complied, transforming and zooming off with the other troopers. Mira stayed to watch hoping that if it was too bad, she could save some of the small number of soldiers.

The blaster fire simply bounced off Artemis' armor, as if it were nothing. She stayed there and growled as she was washed in a barrage of Energon. Finally, when the metal of her armor got hot with the shooting, she let out audio receptor piercing roar. Running straight at the troopers, she grabbed the nearest one with her long claws and crushed its head in.

**Artemis POV**

I could feel the blasts ricochet off me. All I saw were blurry forms of machines. My head told me that they were my enemy. I ripped at their circuitry, not being able to understand the words that they were screaming. I felt like my body was on autopilot, unable to do anything, but destroy. I seemed to be outside my body, watching what it was doing.

A trooper struck my back and I smashed it against the ground with my tail. I roared into the air and pierced through another Transformer with long claws. I could hear my sister screaming, but I did not know what she was saying. I could see her directing the other troopers away from me, but I followed them.

Suddenly, the troopers and she took off into the sky. I didn't want to let her go. I wanted her to pay for her threats. My wings stretched out, feeling the air gather underneath them. I could hear someone yelling at me, but I didn't know what they were saying. I didn't even know who they were. I felt digits brush against my tail as I took off into the sky after Mira.

I flew after her with as much speed as I could muster. While this monstrous form had overwhelming strength and the anger to take action against those whom I hated, it wasn't very fast. However, I flew past the others straight into Mira, piecing her wings and forcing her into the ground. She transformed back and kept hitting me in the face plate. Soon, my mouth opened and clamped tightly onto her arm. She wiggled and squirmed, desperately trying to get out from under me.

The troopers landed on top of me, forcing me to let go and go after them. I could feel anger bubbling inside me. I clawed and punched and hit, trying to get them to stay down, but there loyalty to my sister told them I would attempt to terminate her if they let up.

I moved back from them, getting them all in my sights. The armor on my arms folded back as my cannons formed from my servos. I growled and roared, as my cannons charged, forming a red plasma-like spheres in there barrels. I pointed my cannons at the frightened troopers and let loose. Energon tainted the ground and my sister coward as she crawled away from me. It was that moment, and only that moment, where I had some inkling of what I was doing and I too was frightened.

**Autobots POV**

Arcee rushed after Sam, who had no idea that Artemis was out of control. The other bots were following closely behind her, but not close enough to help stop Sam. Sam noticed the Decepticons peel Mira from the ground and trying to get away from Artemis. Sam was still oblivious to the whole situation and walked towards Artemis with a smile on her face.

"Go Artemis! You beat those Decepticons good!" Sam got close enough to take a picture and for Artemis to sense her presence. She turned suddenly and pointed the blaster at Sam. Sam stopped and began shaking. "Artemis?"

Artemis didn't answer, the cannons charged slowly as if there were slight hesitation. ShadowVolt, who was helping RazorMane get Mira on her feet, saw the human to be in danger. He stared at Mira, who was less interested in saving the human than his own partner. She looked at him and saw his determination.

"ShadowVolt, as much as saving a human would disgust me; I want my sister to suffer. Take her down, even if it means working with the Autobots." She said, pleasing his whim. RazorMane handed ShadowVolt his whip for assistance, then helped Mira to get away.

Arcee jumped towards Artemis and kicked the blaster upward, sending the blast into the sky. The beast grabbed her leg and slammed her into the ground. The growling turned into a shrieking roar as she hit Sam with her tail. Bumblebee caught Sam in his hands and eased her onto the ground. Bulkhead slammed his wrecking ball into her, but Artemis caught it in her claws and shoved him so he would stumble onto Arcee.

Optimus, hesitantly, looped his arms underneath Artemis' and tried to keep her still. Though, the struggling turned into flailing until she slammed her head into his hard. He recoiled, holding his head which had a smear of gold paint on it from the impact. She swung her arm around and hit him in his middle, causing him to fall to his knees.

Bumblebee didn't even get a chance to get close before her claws were wrapped around the young scouts neck. She didn't let go and didn't hold back. Artemis dragged the poor robot across the ground. Just when Bulkhead thought he could recover, she threw Bumblebee at him, sending him back on top of Arcee.

Without hesitation, Artemis pointed her blaster at the pile of dazed Autobots. The sound of the charging cannon was almost like the hissing of fiery death. Optimus struggled to get back to his feet to save his soldiers, but the pain in his gut combined with the sudden dizziness as he attempted to rise to his feet made it significantly difficult for him.

No one expected a metal lash to wrap around Artemis' neck and yank her to the ground, causing the plasma ball to be launched into the air once more. Optimus felt a servo wrap under his arm and lift him from the ground slowly. ShadowVolt watched the Autobots stare at him in surprise. He yanked his lash back and held it evenly in his hands. The bots got to their feet as Artemis began to stir.

"It would seem, for the moment, that our paths align." ShadowVolt shared his thoughts with the Autobot leader who nodded in agreement.

"No-"

"I won't terminate her, if that's what you mean, but there's no way we're going to stop her without causing some harm." He said before Optimus could even finish his thought. Though, he hit it right on the dot. Optimus nodded sadly and cocked his guns regretfully.

"Autobots, take your positions." He took off in the opposite direction of his bots, drawing the beast's attention. As expected, Artemis reached forward to try and catch the Prime. The lash flicked in front of her optics which caused her to turn towards ShadowVolt. A hit against the spine caused her to turn towards Arcee. It didn't take long for Artemis to become utterly confused. Bulkhead pointed his blaster at the beast along with Bumblebee, but before he could fire, he lowered them again.

"I can't do it." Bulkhead declared to Bumblebee who was having the same problem. Artemis, having enough of being confused, opened up her wings in order to take off. ShadowVolt didn't want to fail his Second Lieutenant. He wrapped the lash around her wings and center and sent electric through it, enough to fry any bots circuits just enough.

**Artemis POV**

The electricity burned and shook me like a volcanic eruption. I landed on the ground so hard, I thought that maybe I had fell apart right then and there. I was surprised that I regained consciousness in such little time. I hated that I was still trapped in a monster's body, but now I was aware. I could move my limbs as if they were my own again.

The lash redrew itself and I watched ShadowVolt zoom off with urgency. I dare not move until he was clear out of site, in fear he'd shock me again. I eased myself up on my knees and elbows. I could hear my friends cocking their blasters at me. There was no greater pain than that feeling that not even your friends could trust what you would do. I shook my head groggily; still not sure what damage the shock had done to my systems.

When I opened my optics again, I saw Sam. She limped closer to me, her one arm wrapped around her side. I noticed her lower lip was busted slightly, bleeding only enough to turn her lips red. It made me question how she had gotten that way. Then I remembered that I had done it. I was the one who smacked her with my tail. I leaned into my legs so that I could take my claws off the ground.

The Autobots were in bad shape. Arcee couldn't raise her one arm which might have had something to do with Bulkhead landing on it the wrong way. Bulkhead had multiple dents and scratches to his chest and shoulders. Bumblebee, poor Bumblebee, had indentations of my claws in his neck. What a horrible experience it must have been for him, feeling something squeezing his neck and his already damages voice box.

Optimus hit me hard. His head, first of all, had a smear of gold paint. I remember head butting him as hard as I could. There was slight denting which only made me feel worse because it only showed how hard I really hit him. Energon leaked meagerly from a small scratch to his middle. I remember hitting him in his middle, but I didn't think my arm guards would pierce his body at all.

Again I shook my head, trying to deny what I saw, the proof of what I did. I heard noises again, but I realized I couldn't understand them. I looked at Sam and found her lips moving. I didn't know what she was saying; I didn't know what any of them were saying. I couldn't form the words to tell them so, or even to tell them I was sorry. My words came out as growls and whimpers and finally I just gave up. I didn't want their eyes on me, not when there was nothing I could do.

My wings spread open and they all stumbled back thinking I would begin attacking again. I noticed only Sam went to run after me, probably telling me to wait, but I couldn't wait. I let my wings lock and I soared high enough that I couldn't see the ground which meant others could not see me. I didn't know where to go, but I figured if I kept flying, maybe I would get where I needed to be.

**Autobot Base**

Sam struggled with June, who was trying to put a bandage on a bruise that formed on her head. She didn't want to wait and recover. She wanted to go and look for Artemis right now! June finally applied the bandage and let her squeeze out from her motherly grip. Sam limped over to where Optimus was working on tracking her signal, refusing to get treatment until the others were fixed.

"Well?" She let out with a hoarse voice. Screaming at Artemis earlier, trying to get her to understand, had put a serious strain to her throat.

"Nothing yet." He muttered down to her whom made her fall helplessly to the stairs in order to sit and rest.

"What in the Allspark happened to all of you?" Ratchet screamed as he finished fixing Arcee's arm.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." Arcee said hesitantly. She wasn't sure what happened. First she saw Optimus take a dive for Artemis and then there was a big snarling beast. Sam took out her phone and showed Ratchet.

"Artemis turned into something horrible." She said with all the sadness in her heart. She never thought those words would come out of her mouth.

"That," Ratchet paused, taking a closer look. "Is very strange."

"What do you mean?" Arcee found Bumblebee joining her on the side of the berth.

"Well, in cases of Beast Cybertronians, they can be in beast mode, which is equivalent to our vehicle mode, or in warrior mode."

"Which is what we look most of the time, right?" Bulkhead finished, trying to show off what knowledge he did have in his thick engine block.

"Correct, but in this case. In the photo you are showing me of Artemis, it would seem that this 'beast' contains characteristics of both beast and warrior mode." Ratchet stood up from his leaning to see the picture.

"Has there been any mixes like that before?" Sam slipped her phone back into her pants pocket.

"There are cases when beasts go through a dangerous system overload that causes their transition from beast to warrior to stall into a hideous mix of the two. Within this stall it is said that they suffer from uncontrollable anger and optic and audio receptors are faulty making it very difficult to determine friend from foe." He folded his arms, convinced he has shared every bit of knowledge that would help them in this situation.

"Can they not hear too?" She thought of when everyone was screaming at Artemis, telling her to stop, but she acted as if she didn't even hear her.

"No, that has never been reported, but some beast Cybertronians prided themselves on their primitiveness. Most of them didn't even know how to speak or understand anyone but their own kind."

"So she couldn't understand us! She wasn't ignoring us or couldn't hear us. She didn't know what we were saying."

"Yeah, well does anyone know how to speak beast?" Arcee folded her arms irritated. Bumblebee beeped and buzzed rapidly, Sam determined that he wasn't saying anything important because Bulkhead only nudged him jokingly.

"That will have to wait, I've detected her signal." Optimus brought up the coordinates which was far away in the mountains.

"What is she doing there?" Bulkhead got up from where he sat on the floor and head towards Optimus' side.

"I don't know, but we better get over there before she hurts someone." Arcee was about to head over to the ground bridge which Ratchet was opening, but Sam got in her way.

"Take me too."

"No way."

"But I wanna help Artemis overcome Overload!" Sam screamed out her new nickname for the beast Artemis was under, but only Arcee and Bumblebee seemed to be surprise.

"Sam," Optimus lowered himself on one knee, to get a better view of the human. "You are already injured from the last encounter with Overload. Artemis would never forgive herself if anything further would happen to you, as would I." Sam frowned then hesitantly smiled.

"Ok Optimus." She finally agreed. "Bring her home, okay?"

**Mountain Tops**

Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee came out of the portal first, being that Optimus had yet to be fixed. He eased himself past his Autobots then stopped as he heard crashing and howling. They moved swiftly towards the noise, knowing it must be Artemis. However, they were surprised to see that she was not harming anyone, but that she was harming herself.

Artemis' head was breaching from multiple lesions and dents. Her wings hung limp at her sides as she kept ramming her body, full power, into large stones. Sometimes she would stop long enough to take a breather, but then would begin to pound her clenched claws against her head. Optimus was about to intervene when the roaring and howls began to sound like words and screams. The beastly language started to sound like real pleas again.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Artemis screamed, not even noticing the others behind her, watching her. She collapsed to her knees, unable to do anymore damage to herself. Her head hovered, bobbing as she whimpered. With the coming of exhaustion, the beastly transformation finally faded, her human body sitting limp as she silently cried. Optimus approached her and kneeled next to her.

"Artemis." She turned and looked up at her partner. He could see her tears begin to flow more freely as she looked upon his face plate.

"Optimus, I'm so sorry." She managed to choke out. He scooped her up gently and stood up.

"Ratchet, bring us home." Arcee contacted base for Optimus, as she watched him ease his human partner's tears. As they all got back to base, he placed her down on the gurney. June looked at the work she had to do. Artemis' head was bleeding Energon, her arms bruised and battered. Sam walked over slowly and placed a hand on her hand, smiling. Artemis frowned, feeling unsteady and guilty. She brought Sam into a hug and whispered, but even the Autobots could hear what she said.

"I'll never transform again."


	20. Ch 20: Phoenix Prime

The Human Prime

Chapter 20: Phoenix Prime

Artemis sat on the stairs, dazed as if she wasn't even awake. Her dressings needed to be changed, but she didn't move. Thank goodness for Ratchet who cared about others medical needs. In between fixing Optimus' wounds, he would look over at her to see if she changed her bandages. After the tenth time of peeking, he cleared his throat loudly, getting Sam's attention, and gestured her towards Artemis. Sam picked up some clean bandages and walked over to her.

"I'm going to change your dressings, okay?" Sam asked, holding up the clean cloths, but Artemis didn't respond. She only continued to stare into empty space. Sam took the lack of response as a yes and began taking off her old bandages. As she began wrapping the new ones on, she noticed the dark circles under Artemis' eyes. "Maybe you should sleep?"

"I can't sleep." Artemis muttered making Sam jump. She wasn't expecting an answer.

"Why not?" Sam asked, looking up at Ratchet to make sure he was indeed eavesdropping.

"He'll come back. He'll haunt me in my dreams. He'll make me lose control again." As if the word sleep was a trigger, Artemis' head began bobbing from drowsiness.

"Who?"

"Primal."

**The Nemesis**

Mira laid on her stomach as Knockout fixed her damages wings. She kept thinking that any second, her lord would come busting through the door and declare how an utter failure she was. ShadowVolt, after his return, told her of his success of neutralizing her sister. In a way, she couldn't get mad at him for not terminating Artemis. If she, Mira with the gifts of Unicron, could not do it, how could he? However, she did and snapped at him for at least not making sure he had finished his duty to stop her.

"Stop moving." Knockout warned as he began welding again. His touch was so rough; she doubted his completion of medical training. The door jolted open which caused her to jerk and look behind her. It was Lord Megatron, but unlike his usual demeanor, he didn't seem at all angry.

"Well done keeping most of the soldiers in one piece." Megatron walked to the side of the medical table and placed his large hand over the back of her head.

"But I didn't terminate Artemis, how are you not furious with me?" She shifted her head so she could still see his face.

"Soundwave watched the fight between you and Artemis very closely. I believe that sort of reaction can get us to end the Autobots once and for all. Especially, with this." Her lord brought up a detailed blueprint of Overloads cannons. "If you can reconstruct this, we will be able to use its power to destroy what we please."

"May I suggest something?" Mira offered and Megatron nodded in return. "My sister is emotionally compromised and I believe Optimus is feeling just as much pressure. Use the cannon and aim it at a town, even a small one. They will no doubt respond to the attack."

"Which one?"

"My old home."

**Artemis POV**

I was like a zombie. I hovered my presence around the base, but I may as well have been a part of the background. I didn't speak, or make any eye contact, I only listened. Everyone tried to justify what I had done as a mere accident. That I had no control over my actions, but they had forgotten one thing. They were MY actions. I had hurt the ones I cared about, despite if I had any say in it or not.

As I finally cuddled myself in a corner of a storage room, staring at the wall, I could hear someone walk up to the room and I could see their shadow cast over me. I sighed heavily and turned to Optimus. Every time I looked at his face, I saw that wide eyed expression as I elbowed his gut so hard that he lost his bearings. I turned away from him again, unable to handle the memory any longer.

"Artemis."

"Please Optimus; I don't want to talk to anyone presently." I hid my face into the sleeves of my shirt, but he did not leave. He only came closer and kneeled beside me.

"You should not blame yourself for actions you had no control over."

"The facts are in Energon, I was the one who hurt you, all of you. The wounds were all made by my hand despite if my mind had control over them." I made a valid argument in which it took Optimus many silent minutes to counter.

"Don't live in fear Artemis, it is as primitive as living in anger." He stood up and walked out. I sat in silence for a moment before thinking of Primal's words, how I would have to gain control of my primal side. Perhaps the primal side was my anger and fear. I thought about my past and noted that I had always kept my fear and anger to myself, so I had control of it, until recently when Primal sent my anger into overdrive. Then I thought of the transformation and how fearful I was. It all made sense.

I ran out of the storage facility and snuck past the bots long enough to get up to my room. I lay on the bed quietly, coaxing myself to sleep. I needed to talk to Primal; I needed to let him know that he was wrong, that I was in control.

It didn't take long to fall asleep and enter into the darkness of Primal's Cybertron. I screamed into the darkness. His name echoed into it as if there was nothing. Finally, those blue split optics appeared before me. I wish I could see him in his entirety; it would make it easier to defend myself.

"Why are you doing this to me? You told me that I would need to get control over my primitive nature, my fear and anger, but all you've done is make it worse. I had control over it and you took it away, you make me hurt my friends!" I wondered if I should really be yelling at something I could not see or defend myself from.

"You have long lost control of it; I am helping you return control."

"By making it worse?!"

"I only enhanced feelings you already had."

"But they are my feelings, enhancing them doesn't make them mine anymore, it makes them yours!"

"Debate all you wish, but you still have no control."

"If so, let me take care of it my way. Stay out of my life, stay out of my head, and don't hurt my friends!"

"I am not the one hurting them, Artemis, you are." There was a long pause as his optics went back into the cover of darkness. "And I will do what I wish."

"Primal!" I woke up so suddenly that I wondered if I screamed in my head or in reality. I sat up and found myself sweating. I wiped my face and cuddled into a ball. I had no control over my own mind, so I had no control over my own actions.

I peered over the side at my friends below. Sam, who was recovering nicely from her wounds, teased Jack effortlessly about his mother. To this day I swear she will one day declare to me that she is in love with him. I notice Miko and Rafael begin to join in and wonder if it is because they have nothing better to do or just enjoy doing so.

I then looked at the bots. Arcee and Bumblebee both hanging over the kids finding themselves fascinated with their conversation. I looked over at Bulkhead who rubbed his legs gently. He was still recovering from his experience, but he seemed to still fight well in the field. I noticed Ratchet at his post and smiled, wondering if he would loosen up when the war was over. I noticed the missing Optimus and frowned. Such a gentle soul he was, and he cared for all of us deeply.

Then I thought of what I might do. Would Rafael one day plea for mercy, screaming my name as he once did Mira's? Would one day strike Bulkhead in the back and cause him to suffer a traumatic experience once more? Would I rip out more than Bumblebee's voice box? Would I be the one who ripped out Optimus' spark and watch his optics dim into blackness?

I couldn't take the uncertainty. I couldn't take knowing that at any moment my actions would once again not be my own. I picked up a suit case and began putting clothes in. Once the case was filled I dropped it down to the ground below and watched as it bounced off the couch and landed between the coffee table and the television. I got into the elevator and was about to pick up my suit case to leave when I heard Optimus call in.

"The Decepticon Warship is flying over our base."

**Optimus POV**

I hid under a rock formation, looking up at the Decepticon Warship as it passed the Autobot base. My spark began to relieve itself of a painful ache that had been caused by the panic that perhaps they had finally found us. My optics followed the ships path as it kept moving west. When it was clear that I could not be detected, I proceeded with my report to Ratchet.

"It seems to be heading west."

"Do you think the Decepticons are going after a relic?"

"I am uncertain, but I believe it would be in best interests to pursue them." I could hear Arcee begin to speak in the background.

"Yeah, who knows, maybe Mira convinced him to start her burning earth plan." This statement had caused me to worry. While I never knew Megatron to yield to any plan, but his own, it was obvious that Mira had some ways to manipulate him. Even if it was never Mira's intension to do so, it would be idiotic to not investigate. I called out my Autobots and waited for them to join me, making sure to keep an eye on the warship that was beginning to get out of my line of sight.

When the Autobots finally caught up, I found disappointment hit me when I realized Artemis was not among them. It seemed I had gotten used to her presence in battle and while most of the time I wished her to remain at the base, I silently was counting on her tagging along anyways. Perhaps it was this comfort that had gotten her into danger that she might not had needed to face. Before proceeding to follow the Nemesis, I silently wondered if I could have prevented what she was going through now.

**The Nemesis**

"It's done my lord, though, it won't last long. Rushing produces amateur quality work." Mira admitted as Knockout and she showed him the mock blaster they prepared for Megatron.

"Good, we are almost over the coordinates." He turned toward them and pointed at RazorMane. "RazorMane, take Knockout and mount the blaster on the roof of the ship."

"Yes, my lord." He followed his master's orders, taking the blaster with one hand and hoisting it on his shoulder. Knockout cringed at the idea of working with RazorMane, but orders were orders.

"We will use this weapon to blast the Autobots to oblivion." He noticed the look of disagreement on his second lieutenant's face. "What is it?"

"You have about five shots at the most, and if you miss, who knows what damage the Autobots would do to the ship. Especially since we're nearing populated areas." She suggested. Mira was never one to talk against plans involving the deaths of humans or Autobots, but the experience with the beast had shaken her. If they were to encounter it again, who knows what it would do.

"Relax Mira; I know exactly how to handle Autobots of any sorts." He assured Mira as he turned back to the screens. Soundwave approached and showed him video feed of the Autobots. He could see them following, leaving dust in their wake. He smiled at the fact Optimus had fallen for his trap so early. "Turn the ship around, let's face them."

Megatron looked upon the battle field that he would soon send Optimus to his doom. They had yet to reach population so it was an open area. A lake surrounded by few trees and rock, plenty open to aim at the Autobots effectively. The Autobots trailed behind the ship so they didn't realize they were bring the ship to an about face yet. He turned and went to go join RazorMane and Knockout on the roof. Mira followed, fearful of what would happen.

**Artemis POV**

I listened to Optimus' reports to Ratchet. They were few, every moment he could spare to tell him the latest. It didn't sound right. They were chasing after the Decepticon's warship, trying to stop them from getting to population, but what was the plan. Megatron thought lowly of humans, so much so he thought them not worth his time. Though he didn't tread on human casualties, he wouldn't go hunting them. Mira wouldn't either. At least not right now. She was wounded and she would not advise an attack on humans unless she could take part as well. It was weird how only that twisted sense could be made in her defense.

I thought hard about when I was a beast. As much as I hated thinking about the pain and suffering of my allies, there was something I was missing. I tried to think about my surroundings. Past the flying limbs of troopers and the spurts of Energon that tainted my claws, there was something there. I shivered while trying to remember.

"There turning around." Optimus told Ratchet and then I could remember Laserbeak. The spy that Soundwave clung to was watching me kill off his allies. I couldn't think of any reason he would only so that it would be on record.

What could he have wanted? I wondered to myself. Why would he keep watching me, the whole time, unless there was something he was looking for? It was then I remembered the moment he flew away. It was the moment I used my cannon, my plasma, very destructive, cannon.

I knew Soundwave's skills from memories, that if he wanted to he could deconstruct something into its basic parts. He could use that video feed of my blaster and reconstruct it if they wanted too. Mira had the ability to do so; Knockout had the scientific know-how to fill in Soundwave's blanks. It was a long shot, but in the time since their last encounter, they could have built a Plasma cannon.

I stood up and was about to pursue my friends, but then I remembered how unstable I was. What good would I be? Especially if I transformed back into Overload and turned on them. Could I really risk that? Then I thought again. If I could control Overload long enough, I could ram into The Nemesis and cause enough damage for them to want to retreat. Would I be able to?

"I got to try." I slipped on my armor as quickly as possible and grabbed my hover board, never telling Ratchet that I had left.

**The Plains**

Optimus made his Autobots split. Seeing the blaster mounted on the top of the Nemesis, he knew it wasn't a good sign. They all scrambled, trying to stay apart so they couldn't take them all out at once. He fired at the ship, but knew that he could never hope for a good shot. The distance between them was too great. Arcee tried as well, but with little success.

Megatron chuckled as the bots below them struggled and separated. He knew they felt cornered, defenseless for what he has in store. Mira smiled soon too, realizing that Artemis was not among them. He was about to order to fire when she approached him. She said something about shooting frogs in barrel that they'll jump out.

"What?"

"I mean, if you shoot into them, they just scatter even further. Draw them closer to each other." Mira saw her master glare at her angrily. It was then that she realized that was his plan all along.

When RazorMane fired, he fire in between Arcee and Bumblebee who were heading in the same direction. As expected, they turned the other way. The next shot was at Bulkhead show instead of run in the different direction, covered his face from the debris. The last shot was near Optimus who stepped back as it hit in front of him. The Autobots found themselves clumped together near Bulkhead. They turned to look at the charging blaster.

Optimus was about to command his Autobots when he saw a something fly over their heads straight at the warship. RazorMane redirected the cannon at the incoming object without getting ordered to and found that it moved out of the way. Mira's eyes grew wide when they could see what it was. It was the beast. It was Artemis.

Artemis sent her cannon blast at the opposing cannon. RazorMane rushed out of the way, unable to demount the weapon from the roof before the blast got in closer. When the weapon was destroyed, they thought Artemis would go after them, but it didn't. It flew lower and before they knew it. Alarms were going off on the ship. She had rammed at full speed into one of the wings. Megatron looked at the damage and saw pieces of the wing fall down into the lake below, along with a very damaged, nearly dead, Artemis. He growled angrily and turned to Mira.

"Finish her off." He left to go inside to direct his crew in a retreat. Mira nodded, knowing that Artemis wasn't much of a threat in the condition she was in.

**Autobot POV**

The ground bridge opened and Sam stepped out, seeing what had happened. She had come to retrieve Artemis, as instructed by Ratchet. What she saw was not what she expected. The Autobots stood away from the fallen Artemis, debating whether it was safe to do so in that form. Sam ran past them and approached to beast cautiously.

**Artemis POV**

I opened my optics slowly. I felt my wing limp at my side, completely inoperable. My head had a similar throbbing that occurred when I was beating myself up the day before. I saw Sam, coming closer to me. I wanted to tell her to stay where she was, but I couldn't find my words. She had her hand on my faceplate now. Her fingers felt smooth against my metal skin.

I groaned, feeling a pain in my arm as I brought it up toward her. The bots drew there blasters, and I didn't blame them, but I still was in control. I wasn't scared of hurting her. I wanted to protect everyone and what's what gave me the courage to transform and ram the Decepticon warship. I held her small body in my claws gently. I opened my jaws slowly, trying to regain my speech skills.

"Sam." I muttered in a growly tone, but it was softer than my roars and angry growls. She smiled at me and put her head against my own. Then I heard the buzzing of a plane engine followed by the firing of blasters. I moved my arm quickly, quicker than I should have, and covered Sam as the Energon rained down on my body. "Run Sam."

I placed her down on the ground, allowing her to run and stood up. Mira landed in front of my and pointed her blaster at me. I couldn't seem to move fast enough to defend myself. The blast hit me hard, sending me into the lake. My body sunk fast, to the bottom of the lake. I felt water fill my systems and wondered if it would hasten my wounds.

I opened my eyes to my Cybertron, seeing the gold surface again made me smile. It had been awhile since I came into this dream land. I sat up and found, in front of me, a large bot with large wings. The beastly like optics told me that this was Primal. I stood up, taking in his entirety.

"You were losing it." I was about to argue his statement when he held up a hand, suggesting he wasn't finished. "For what I found within your memories, you had always head in your anger, your fear. It worked for some time until recently." I could see my memories reflect in the ground. One was when I faced Mira, after she kidnapped me. I remember wanting to keep punching her until she died, but finding that I was scaring Sam and let her go. Another was snapping at June and Ratchet when I was bleeding Energon. I hadn't realized it till now, but I really was losing it.

"You wanted me to confront that." I whispered to Primal who nodded.

"Being angry, being fearful, you mustn't let it cloud your actions. I wanted to show you that you were letting it out, and one day it would hurt someone you cared about. It's okay to show powerful emotions, but you mustn't let it control you." Primal got down on a knee and held out his hand.

"Thank you Primal. I think I understand now." I smiled and placed a hand on one of his digits. He smiled and stood up.

"I think you're ready."

"For what?"

"To take on your Primal Instincts."

**Autobot POV**

Mira held Sam tightly, squeezing her and releasing the pressure as if it were a game. Sam grunted and tried to get out of her grasp. Optimus threatened Mira, but she only laughed and tossed Sam into her other hand.

"What are you going to do about it Prime?" All of sudden, she felt something body slam her. She lost grip of the human and hit the dirt hard. "What the-" Mira looked up at tall, feminine warrior with large wings and a sword mounted on its back.

"You shouldn't bully beings smaller than you dear sister." Artemis said, holding Sam in her hands. She placed Sam down gently.

"Whoa, so pretty." Sam looked up at the gold and red Autobot. Artemis nodded at her and Sam took off towards the bots. Artemis drew her attention back to her sister.

"Then you'll be just fine!" Mira went to tackle her, but Artemis opened her wings and took off into the air.

"Surely you can do better than that." Her words cut deep into Mira's brain. She was toying with me, she thought. Mira transformed and rammed her jet body into her, but Artemis grabbed her wings and flung her into rocks. She landed back onto the ground and noticed troopers come to her sister's aid. She drew the long sword on her back held it toward the ground.

When they got close enough, she swung her blade, cutting one's wing off completely. They took the hint that she meant business and flew only to get Mira off the ground. Mira growled and reported to her lord who allowed her to retreat. Artemis stood silently, not letting her guard down until the warship was out of her sights. She turned to her friends who were staring at her.

"I think I'm all better now." She said simply, letting off a gentle, sweet tone. Sam came to embrace her and she complied by kneeling.

"So, Overload." Bulkhead mentioned.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about that beast again." Artemis answered, standing up with Sam in her palm.

"Phoenix."

"What?" Artemis looked down at Sam who had muttered something.

"That's what this form should be called. Phoenix." Sam smiled. Artemis looked up at Optimus was put a hand on her shoulder, to welcome her back to normality.

"I think that suits it well." His voice eased her heart. She could rest easy. She would never hurt her friends again.


	21. Ch 21: Not Even By Blood

The Human Prime

Chapter 21: Not Even By Blood

Mira threw another set of equipment onto the ground. Her spark lit with anger, she vented to Knockout who was trying desperately to ignore her. She was so frustrated with Artemis. Again when she thought she had the upper hand, Artemis outgrew her. Compared to the power of that beast, her normal gifts would not cut it. Mira paced back and forth, trying to figure out a way to get an edge.

"I need to-"

"Speak with Lord Megatron." Knockout finished, hearing the phrase many times before. She sneered at his quick remark and left down the hall. One her way to see her master, she passed by the fuel station. She paused and turned to look inside the room. The giant claw that maneuvered around the room picked up cubes of Energon and pushed them into the ships fuel tank endlessly. She peered around, setting her eyes on a glowing purple cube. She knew it was Dark Energon, but wondered why she was never informed that they had any supply of the stuff.

Continuing to where her master usually lingered, she thought up of a plan. Unicron had given her a gift, a gift that hasn't fully awakened yet. If she could somehow infuse herself with Dark Energon, just as her master had, perhaps it would trigger a reaction. She entered the room, expecting to see Soundwave working at his station. Instead, Megatron was talking to Dreadwing, alone. When they both turned to look at her, she bowed her head embarrassingly.

"Yes, what is it?" Megatron didn't move from the circle he and his first lieutenant had made in order to talk between themselves without anyone hearing. Mira approached them and offered a hand.

"As your second lieutenant, what resources am I allowed to utilize here on the vessel?" She waited for an answer, but she looked up and found a confused look instead.

"What resources are you seeking to use?" He finally stepped towards her, leaving Dreadwing behind.

"Something that keeps you alive, my lord." She ducked her head lower, not wishing to look at his face.

"What do you intend to do with the dark Energon?" He was becoming rather suspicious of her. The only one who dared use the Dark Energon besides himself was Starscream and, as expected, he betrayed him. If she wanted to, Mira could use the Dark Energon to try and terminate him.

"I wish to gain the edge I need to beat my sister." She made eye contact with him reluctantly. "I have become increasingly frustrated. I think the Dark Energon will increase the progress of my growth, to equal her own if not surpass it."

"To surpass your sister, that is the only use?" He got his face closer to hers. It was his way of intimidating her, trying to make her reveal any secret agenda. There was none. Megatron pulled away and placed his hand on top of her own. "I will allow it."

"Thank you my lord. You are a gracious audience." Mira turned and walked out of the room. When she was down the hall, she leaned against the wall and smiled. The fact that he accepted her idea was proof he still trusted her judgment. She feared that her lack of success recently had put a wound in her reputation. It made her joyful to know that Lord Megatron was not talking to Dreadwing about her termination. But then, what were they talking about?

**In the Skies**

"Woooooo!" Sam and Miko shouted, feeling the air hiss through her hair as Artemis nosedived. Before hitting the ground, she pulled up enough to hover above the ground just enough. Artemis was nice enough to give all the kids a ride. After finally obtaining controlling Primal, she had no fear of spreading her wings and taking a flight around Nevada. Granted it was plenty cloudy out to keep her a secret or no population around. Even Optimus and Ratchet came out of the base and watched as the humans jumped and pleaded for the next ride.

Artemis landed on the road to the base, shifting forms quickly into her Prima transformation so that she could become a truck and roll back into base. Artemis had once, flying by herself, had tried flying into the road entrance a few times before. When she didn't hit her wings against rocks, she ended up tumbling into the base like a tumble weed. She decided it would be better to either switch her form and drive in or to land on the roof and walk in as a human.

When she drove into base, Artemis let Miko and Sam stroll out before turning back into a human. Though it was a nuisance to be an Autobot all the time, she usually felt disappointed after she would turn back into a human. Between the Prima and Primal forms, wheels and flight, she never wanted to just walk again, unless it was walking as a huge robot.

The only thing that kept her turning back into a human was Optimus. She would miss driving with him, talking to him, and being partners with him. Some things with Optimus you could only experience with him when you are a human. Though they grew closer with every new transformation, she still could not discover anything personal, which drew her to her next conclusion.

"I don't know anything personal about you guys." Artemis said plainly as she let a book slip out of her hand onto the couch.

"What do you mean? You know a lot about us." Ratchet defended, placing notes down into his computer then returning to his microscope.

"Yeah, I know some stuff about some of you. Like, I know you were a very great medic during the war. I know Bulkhead is an ex Wrecker and used to be a laborer. I know Bumblebee was a great help during the war and lost his voice box to Megatron. I know Optimus was a data clerk and I know Arcee lost a few partners. In reality, I don't know much."

"I would consider that a lot." He offered again, not rising from his work.

"Lesson One: Ratchet was always this stuffy." Bulkhead said from behind the doctor, which made him rise and give a disproving stare.

"I don't believe that." She smiled and let out a small laugh. Artemis looked at Arcee, who was talking to Jack about something. "Do you know anything else about Arcee?"

"Arcee?" Both Ratchet and Bulkhead looked at the femme bot, staring at her hard before coming to a conclusion.

"Well, Arcee was always very, together, with her emotions." Ratchet shrugged and went to his work. "No one knows very much about her." Artemis paused for a moment, unable to take her eyes off Arcee. They were the only to femme bots on to team, well really it was only her, but they should still have some try and bond with each other. All of a sudden, as if on cue, Arcee announced she was going on patrol.

"Wait, Arcee, I'll come with you." She jumped down from sitting on the railing and turn into her Autobot form. Arcee shrugged not thinking much of it and activated the ground bridge.

**Meanwhile, The Nemesis**

Mira waited for the Dark Energon to fully circulate within the transfusion coils before lying on the metal slab. Knockout began switching on the vital readers and plugged her in accordingly. She didn't flinch at the feeling. For the first five years of her life she was hooked up to medical machines that were said to make her better. Now she was pleased to be hooked up to a machine that would make her stronger.

"Mira, I must advise against this. As you physician." Knockout hesitated to set up the coil. She grabbed his shoulder and tugged him towards her.

"Unless you have a better reason then you're previous K.O. I don't want to hear it. Just start the fragging transfusion." Mira snapped before laying her head down. The moment a single drop of the Dark Energon entered her systems, her body began to spasm. She couldn't see the hovering light on the ceiling of sick bay.

Mira did hear Knockout panic. Weakling, she thought, smiling uncontrollably even while her body twitched violently. He ran out of the room, looking for the guidance of his leader. She rolled over to on her stomach, feeling something clawing on the insides of her back. Long pincer legs burst from her back.

"A new transformation." Mira smiled for as quickly as the pain had come, it subsided, leaving a sense of wonder in its wake. She could hear the crashing of footsteps get closer and she knew automatically that it was Knockout with whoever he found in the hall. She crawled onto the ceiling, watching the surprise when Knockout came in with Soundwave and found she disappeared.

"She spontaneously combusted." He shrieked which made her chuckle. Dropping from where she hung herself on the ceiling, she crossed her new arachnid based legs in front of him.

"You wish." She noticed his face flinch and then he fell silent. She understood how angry this must have made him. To see long insect legs like that of Airachnid who did away with his partner. Soundwave touched one of her legs, examining it as if he was stunned by the choice of transformation.

Mira turned towards him, wondering if he was beginning to question her trustworthiness. He withdrew his hand and showed her a photo of Arcee and Airachnid fighting. At last she understood, he was thinking of what use it would be. She had to admit, she rather liked his idea. Despite the toxic like coloring of her armor, she could probably get a good reaction from Arcee.

"Good idea Soundwave, I will leave immediately." Mira went to leave, but felt Knockout pull on one of her horns. She cursed and her shrinkage that he was now taller than her and stared at him angrily.

"We should examine you! Make sure there are no adverse effects." He said, but the words she could hear were 'I want you to switch forms right now!' She yanked herself from his grip and ran out of the room. It took her a minute to realize she was running on two instead of four and she quickly adapted.

"I'll first need some reinforcement."

**Abandoned Cabin in the Woods**

"There's no one here Arcee, we're good." Artemis called back to her partner which hid in the thick woods. She stood up from kneeling beside the small cabin and folded her wings around her. "This place is usually a great place for camping, wonder where everyone is?"

"Probably got scared of all the beasts around here." She joked, referring to Artemis still being in 'Phoenix mode'. Artemis took the hint and switched forms.

"Sorry, I just thought I should get used to it." She shrugged, watching Arcee pass her with the Energon detector.

"I don't care, but if you smack me in the face with those large wings again I'll pin you." Arcee hovered the detector over the cabin then moved on.

"Good to know." Artemis sighed, not bothering to revert back to Phoenix. She followed Arcee closely, getting the awkward silence that feel many times during this particular patrol. "So, um, Arcee, how are you?"

"Small talk, really?"

"Well I want to get to know you better. I mean, we're both femme bots, sort of. I thought it would be cool if we, you know, connected." She didn't hear Arcee answer and she struggled to branch off of that sentence. "Is there anything you want to get off you-"

"Shh."

"Oh come on I-"

"No, shhh, do you hear that?" Arcee paused, putting the detector away. Artemis straightened herself, hearing the rustling of trees. They both cocked their guns, turning so their backs were to each other.

"Think it could just be animals?" She pressed up against Arcee's back, keeping an eye on the woods around her.

"Not likely."

"Thought so." She sighed and broke away from their formation. "Let's get out of these woods. We don't want to be snuck up on." Artemis started to head toward light where she would know there would be less places to hide. The darkness of night was falling quickly making it even more crucial to get out of the thick woods.

As they approached a proper clearing, Arcee found foot stuck in something. She tried to lift her foot off the ground and was surprised to find it stuck in a sticky thread like substance. She looked around, feeling the memories of her arch enemy rush back to her. Artemis stopped, realizing Arcee did not follow her.

"Arcee, what's wrong?" When the blue femme did not respond, she began walking back towards her. Before she could reach her, she heard a voice. A voice that shouldn't be able to echo through the emptiness of forest, it was Airachnid.

"Airachnid! Where are you?!"

**Mira POV**

I chuckled as I played the recording of Airachnid's voice, provided by the astounding Soundwave, over and over. I loved how it drove Arcee nuts, not allowing her to realize that it was me. I made my way around them, keeping a good enough distance that they could see only my silhouette and hear the clicking of my spider appendages. I didn't realize how fun it would be to extend my torture beyond my sister.

I watched Arcee twitch and Artemis try and calm her down. I didn't expect, however, Arcee dashing towards me. I rushed in a different direction, hoping she hadn't seen me. She screamed Airachnid's name loudly which allowed me to let out a short breath. I got a better angle on her, pointing my arm at her. If I could pin her down with webbing, I could deal with my sister and deal with Arcee later.

When I released the webbing and pinned Arcee against a tree, I jumped as a sword landed inches from my shoulder. I looked up to see my sister, Phoenix form and all, glaring at me. She jumped down and grabbed me by the back of my neck, making it difficult for me to get an angle on her.

"Who are you?" My sister echoes into my audio receptors. I saw the fear and surprise in Arcee's face turn into anger when she realized that I was manipulating her.

"Sorry Artemis," I paused from the unfamiliarity of calling her by her name. "But I'm not done with Arcee yet." I blasted my palm cannons at Arcee who was unable to move. My luck got worse when I realized my shooting only managed to cut my own webbing instead of hurting her.

I was beginning to get fed up. I was having so much difficulty with this new form and yet Artemis seemed like hers was second nature. I twitched all of my limbs at once making it difficult to hold onto me then elbowed her away from me. I used my new legs against her, the quantity most likely to overwhelm her enough for me to get an edge. In the heat of slamming Artemis in a tree, I felt Arcee's blade cut my back. I jumped up onto a branch and looked down at them. Arcee helped Artemis up.

"We are sisters, even if it is just by blood Mira. Stop this!" It was only a matter of time for her to figure out it was me.

"Not even that, anymore." I called down to her. I devised a plan, but it was going to get messy.

**Artemis POV**

"What's that supposed to mean?" Arcee growled, still ticked about what Mira had done to her. I gripped her shoulder.

"Steady Arcee, we don't know what she's capable in this form. I say we go with plan a, get out of this forest." I picked up my forgotten sword and began rushing towards the open area. Arcee followed close behind, but in an instant I heard the showering of cannon fire.

I looked over my shoulder and found Arcee down and out. I ran back only briefly to pick her up and head towards the opening. I couldn't see Mira anymore which was even worse. After getting out of the woods, I put Arcee down in the soft grass. There was a big burn on her back and head which was where she got hit. I nudged her lightly and smiled when she groaned. Thank Primus she was still alive.

"Ratchet, Ratchet, we got trouble. I need backup." I called into my com-link.

"The others aren't here!" Ratchet called back which made me freeze. Could I take this new Mira all by myself?

"Well get them here, quickly! Arcee's hurt real bad." I stood up from where I knelt at Arcee's side and pointed my cannon at the forest. It wasn't any use. She could easily make her way around and come up behind me. I looked up at the sky and for a brief moment, I wondered if I could fly Arcee out of here, if I could hold that much weight.

"Surprise!" I looked back at the forest, but not quickly enough for me to stop Mira's claws from scratching into my armor. Stupid! Why did I let my eyes off the forest? Stupid! In a quick retaliation, I swung my sword around, cutting her somewhere on her waist. It was then I saw just what she was talking about.

Dark Purple liquid dripped from my sword. I stared at her for a long time and for the first time; I noticed her glowing purple eyes, Dark Energon. She was right. We are no long similar in blood. We were, complete opposites.

"Mira, you fool! Dark Energon!"

"You don' have the right to lecture me anymore, Artemis." That name sounded so cold on her lips. She no longer called me 'my dear sister.' Even if it was a form of mockery, she really couldn't anymore.

"Fine," I held my sword out with both hands. "Come here, and I'll teach you your lesson." I could hear buzzing noises and I recognized them as sounds of Insecticons.

"Did you seriously think I'd come alone?" Yes, I thought, but I suppose that was my error. I knew I couldn't take on both her and an army of Insecticons. I wasn't sure if it would work, but not it was the only option. I needed to fly Arcee and myself out of her.

I put away my sword and scooped up Arcee's body as fast as I could. Then, spread my wings wide and took off into the air. I felt the claws of the Insecticons barely touch my heel struts and I felt blaster fire slim my wings. By the time I was high up in the air, I had multiple burns. It wasn't far to base and wouldn't take long if I went into maximum overdrive.

I looked down at my growling sister and wondered what new gifts she'd been granted with. Would it be harder to deal with her now that she has become one with the first Insecticon?

"Ratchet, I'm heading back to base. You're going to want to hear what I just witnessed."


	22. Ch 22: Birth of Drexel

The Human Prime

Chapter 22: Birth of Drexel

Artemis bit the nail of her thumb, thinking about her last encounter with Mira. While she had no idea how to control her new form, it wouldn't be long till she could get the hang of it. Then, perhaps, they would be in really big trouble. Then, as if on purpose, her mind wandered to the beasts she had created. Who knows what other abominations she has been working on? How would Artemis be able to keep up?

"Artemis, why don't you build one too?" Sam asked as if she knew exactly what she was thinking. Sam had a way of doing that.

"What do you mean?"

"Build a robot like Mira does. You're smart, I'm sure you could build one ten times better than hers." She hung on Artemis' shoulder, smiling.

"It's not that simple Sam. I might have the parts and knowhow to do so, but Mira can give her creations a spark. I don't even know if my Matrix shard is capable of that." Artemis sighed and learned her head against the arm of the couch. A bot without a spark couldn't help during battle, not really. It would only get in the way and destroyed in moments.

"You never know until you try. Come on, I bet Ratchet could help you." Sam smiled up at Ratchet who was barely listening to their conversation. Artemis fell into silence, thinking about the idea. Her knowledge of Cybertronian Biology could help her build a full bot. Even if it never would have a spark, at least it could help Ratchet with tasks around base.

"I need to think." Artemis stood up and got blue print paper from the boxes near the elevator. Sam smiled and pulled her fist back in victory. Artemis made her way away from the others and pulled out her phone. "Burgundy, I'm coming in later today. I'm going to start a new project."

"What kind of project?"

"The big kind."

**X-Tech Industries**

I moved my stylus over the digital drawing of the plans. It was pretty basic and primitive compared to Cybertronian Biotech. I looked over the things I simplified to cut back into a few weeks of hard work rather than months. I looked over at Ratchet who was looking over my shoulder at the plans. He wasn't very ecstatic about the idea of creating a robot. It was like mocking his existence, but we both agreed that we needed the help.

"Alright Ratchet, grab your welder, it's going to be a long night." I picked up my own welder and walked over to the large pile of titanium sheets. It was going to be a basic shell. No complex armor, no weapons, they were just making a protoform who could process simple tasks. That's how it started out as anyways. As I began forming the basic skeletal structure of our creation, I kept going over to the plans and finding them TOO simple.

Not long after we finished the empty shell of the robot, I told Ratchet I was going to give it weapons and tools. We debated about it for a while, but I strongly felt that if we expected it to be a part of the team, it needed to be able to defend itself. We ended up giving it a welder, two blades, and a blaster that we designed into his forearm. As the project becoming close to being finished, I started to play with the plans again.

"Do you think we should hook up its memory bank next?"

"His."

"What?"

"His memory bank, we should hook up HIS memory bank next." I paused for a moment, deciding how I should explain the sudden defensiveness of something that wasn't alive and probably never would be. "Call it nostalgia, but, if I'm playing Primus, I should give my creation the rights it deserves." Ratchet didn't answer me right away, he only stared and listened. My sister would never refer to her creations as anything but tools in this war, I didn't want to do the same.

"Then don't you think you should name him too?" I smiled up at Ratchet and knew he understood my decision.

"I got the perfect one for him to."

**Autobot Base**

Sam sighed as she struggled with her homework. Rafael worked on some assignment on his computer while Miko played video games. Jack, hung over her shoulder trying to explain the problem, but it was no use. She just could understand it. She wanted to quit and join Miko in a game, but she promised Artemis she'd work hard while she was gone.

"I wish Artemis was here. She knows how to explain things to me." Sam sighed.

"Well thanks." Jack said sarcastically.

"No offense Jack, but you suck at this." She sighed again and got up. It was then she heard the roaring engine of a truck. Since Optimus was busy with decoding duty, it could only be Artemis. "Artemis!" She jumped down the stairs, seeing the red and black truck pull in with the forgotten trailer. Ratchet pulled in behind her, transforming as the kids rushed to join Sam.

"We're back." Artemis announced as she unhitched the trailer and transformed. She waited for the other Autobots to gather around the trailer before asking Ratchet to help her unload.

"Is it done? Is it done?"

"Yes, Sam, he's done."

"He?"

"Well, let's see him then." Arcee said over Sam's questioning tone. Artemis and Ratchet pulled the grey and black bot from the trailer and leaned him up against the wall. The others got closer to take a closer look at it. He was a small bot, as tall as Bumblebee. His face plate was a screen similar to that of Soundwave's. They guessed Artemis had poor success of making optics and mouth plate. The details of the bot were very basic, not much to look at.

"Is he functional?" Optimus asked her when moments passed without the bot moving.

"We'll find out." Artemis admitted as she reached down to the bots chest and pressed it down. A loud click signaled it was tightly closed which allowed the systems to start their first loading process. There was a loud whirring sound which frightened her that perhaps something was not working properly, but it slowly subsided. The bot's screen let a glow of light, only enough to determine he was online and twitched his head slightly.

"Hello?" Sam asked, stepping closer to it. With the introduction the bots head jerked up and then looked directly at her. She recoiled back, falling on her butt.

"'Hello?'" The bot repeated in her voice. Sam smiled and stood up getting close enough that she could touch his heel strut.

"The whole voice box thing was a bit complicated. I put in a recorder instead. He can record or take things he hears on the internet, radio, or things that you say and use them as responses." Artemis explained as the bot brought in its legs and tried to stand up.

"Is he, moving on his own?" Sam watched the bot crouch down as low as he could possibly go and stared at her. She waved at him nervously and after a few seconds he waved back.

"Completely autonomous, he can move and learn all on his own." The bot tilted his head just as Sam did, Artemis laughed at them both.

"What's his name?" Rafael asked getting closer after determining it was safe.

"His name is Drexel." Artemis smiled when Drexel looked over at her.

"'Drexel.'" He repeated and nodded as if giving his approval of the name.

"Can he do anything cool?" Miko ran up to him, startling him a little and waited for an answer. She crouched down just like he did.

"A few things, I wanted him to be able to defend himself, so he's armed. Plus, Ratchet and I agreed that to be his assistant, he'd need a welder." Artemis watched Drexel stand up as Miko did and then began circling each other. The other kids scrambled to get out of his way, since he didn't know any better about humans going squish. Miko began to walk backwards, not thinking much of it.

Drexel did the same, backing up right into the Autobots. He immediately turned around, looking at all of them before focusing on Optimus' face in which he directly bumped into. Optimus wondered what was on the mind of the young bot, but then wondered if he had a neronet to do such a thing.

"Drexel, that's Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots." Drexel looked over at Artemis when she spoke then back at Optimus.

"'Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots.'" He repeated then looked back at Artemis while pointing to himself. "'Autobots.'"

"Yeah, you're an Autobot." She answered, knowing what he was asking right away. Drexel returned to looking up at Optimus. As if he could understand, he lowered his head as if bowing in respect to his leader then rose and looked at the others.

"I'm Bulkhead." Bulkhead said slowly, waiting for Drexel to repeat him. After he did, he began speaking again. "This is Bumblebee." Bumblebee buzzed softly and Drexel repeated the buzzing back to him.

"'Bumblebee.'" He repeated then looked over at Ratchet.

"This is Ratchet, our medic and scientist." Artemis said to the bot and Drexel repeated.

"I'm Miko!" Miko yelled from down near his feet. He lowered his head and nodded at the human, repeating the name then looking at the others.

"Hi, I'm Jack, this is Raf, and that's Sam." Jack introduced the others which he wondered if that was a good idea. He didn't want to confuse the bot.

"'Jack.' 'Raf.' 'Sam.'" Drexel said while pointing to the individual humans. He was smarter than they realized. When he looked over at Arcee, she froze. She wasn't sure if she wanted to introduce herself to him, but it would seem rude not to. Though, she knew without a spark he didn't really have feelings.

"I'm Arcee." She said in a low and gentle voice. Drexel stared at her for a long time. Not saying anything or moving an inch. Then he looked over at some sheets of metal leaning against the wall behind the Autobots and walked over to it suddenly.

"He's probably still processing all the information." Artemis said, but in reality she wondered if his memory bank was malfunctioning. She wondered if she was just worrying too much. Drexel returned, tapping on Arcee's shoulder.

Arcee turned and saw him holding a flower made of metal. He held the flower with both hands holding it towards her insistently. Artemis looked over at the metal sheets and found only drops of melted leftovers. Drexel waited for Arcee to take the gift.

"'Arcee.'" He repeated in her voice.

"Uh, thanks." She said nervously. Drexel nodded slightly.

"Think he likes you Arcee." Sam joked and then Miko and she started to lead Drexel on a tour of the base.

"Don't worry Arcee; it's probably just a gesture he copied from a video on the internet." Ratchet suggested, but Arcee only shrugged. Artemis however was thinking deeply about the gesture. It was an uncommon action to see from a robot with no spark. From a robot who was merely a robot.

**Next Day**

Drexel played one of Miko's songs. He watched the kids dance for a few minutes before following along. Bulkhead seemed pleased that he could listen to his partner's songs over and over again without her having to play. Artemis laughed when Ratchet began to groan furiously.

"Twenty Four hours and they're already using Drexel as a boom box." She looked over at Optimus who was watching the bot curiously. She shared a similar curiosity for her creation.

"Drexel, please will you cease that racket!" Ratchet finally screamed and Drexel turned off the music and looked over at the medic.

"'Please don't stop the music.'" He played a piece of a song her found off the internet and Ratchet groaned in response. The kids laughed hysterically at the bots sense of humor. A sense of humor, another thing Artemis did not expect.

"Okay, okay, come on Drexel, I think it's time I power you down." She led the bot over to where she had previously set up the engine that would recharge his batteries. Transforming merely to be able to plug him in, she took the large cable and plugged it into the back of his head. She waited to make sure Drexel was in sleep mode before walking away from him and becoming human.

Artemis went back to talking to Ratchet about learning some basic medical knowledge. An hour after Ratchet went to the back room to get some work done, Arcee walked in with Jack. They talked unknowingly and it was then Artemis noticed Drexel's head moving. She looked closer and found him following Arcee as she walked past him without looking at him. She walked over to Drexel and checked the engine. It was on which meant he was charging.

"Drexel, respond." She commanded seriously which he snapped his head up then looked down at her. He was definitely still awake and aware.

"What's wrong Artemis?" Sam leaned over the railing to look over at her.

"He shouldn't be on. His systems are on sleep mode." Artemis rubbed the back of her head and stepped back from Drexel for a moment. "Ratchet, I think we need to run diagnostics!" She could hear the clanging of tools and a yelp of the hard working medic. He must have hit his head on something.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It's unusual. It's okay; I'll just run some tests to see if some wires got crossed."

**Later that Day**

The Autobots filed into the laboratory with their respecting humans after being called by Artemis. Optimus made his way over to stand next to Ratchet in front of the computers, but not even he gave a clue of what the sudden meeting was about. Drexel was hooked up to some cords and medical equipment which raised some suspicion of why a robot would need such a thing.

"Alright, well, you know that earlier today I found what I thought was a glitch in Drexel's systems, right?"

"Yeah." Sam sighed boringly, not into the whole science scene.

"Well, what I thought was a glitch was in fact a form of one hundred percent free will." Artemis expressed excitingly while looking up at Drexel again. He was staring at Arcee again.

"What do you mean?" Arcee asked, getting a little freaked out by Drexel's staring.

"Show'em Ratchet." Artemis tilted her head towards Ratchet and waited for the monitors to play a steady beating sound.

"What's that?" Bulkhead asked, hearing the familiar sound echo in the small room.

"That," She paused again, looking back at Drexel who finally looked back at her. "Is Drexel's spark beat." There was a loud silence followed by a bombardment of questions. How could a robot, built by man, simply and suddenly acquire a spark? "A glorious accident, whether it had anything to do with me, Drexel had somehow willed himself to be whole. I guess, in a way, he wanted to be a Cybertronian too."

Drexel, expressing irritation, unplugged himself from the machines and walked up to Arcee. He gripped her hands and brought them to his expressionless face. How sweet and cute, for in a sense, he was only a child himself. Artemis folded her arms and talked to Primus in her head.

"This was you're doing, isn't it?" She smiled watching the others huddle into Drexel and welcoming him to, well, a life.

"Not all me, but I played a servo in it."

"Tricky." Artemis looked over at Optimus who had a mixed expression on his face. It was wonderful that they had an official new member of Team Prime, but on the other hand. He had a lot to learn and if he didn't want this robot to live a short life, he needed to keep him safe. "It is okay, Optimus." Optimus turned to look at her. "I'll teach him everything I know."

It was then that the alarm sounded. Agent Fowler had some Decepticon activity to report.

**Drexel POV**

I watched the screen from behind the medic, Ratchet. I could see the others that had gone off without me fighting what they called the enemy, the Decepticons. They fought hard and endlessly and I wondered why my mother, why Artemis, had prohibited me from going with them. I knew I didn't know much about combat, but I'm a fast learner.

Even now, I was studying the moves, each dodge and hit. One in particular I followed step for step. I didn't know his name, but I felt emotionally connected to him. For, he too, didn't have a face. I wanted to fight him; the thumping in my chest plate yearned for it. I pointed to him on the screen, hoping Ratchet could tell me who he was.

"Him? That's Soundwave, Megatron's chief spy. Odd, Megatron usually doesn't allow him on the front line." Ratchet continued, but I didn't listen. All I know is that this Soundwave was a rare bot to find on the field. Meaning, this could be my one chance to try my skills against him, despite how few I had.

I walked over the ground bridge, trying to remember how Ratchet operated it. I pulled the level down, allowing the whirring to begin and the bridge to open. I could hear the medics surprise as I left through the bridge and entered the battle field. I found Soundwave right away, hammering away at Bumblebee as he dodged left and right.

"Drexel!?" Artemis screamed at me. I looked at her briefly before looking back at Soundwave. When the bot got rid of the scout he looked at me as well. I wondered if he felt the need to fight me as strong as I did with him. "Drexel, NO!" She screamed, but I already took off towards the bot.

Our fits made contact with each other and I tried to apply what I learned from him to our fight then. Bobbing and weaving around him as he did me. The others mentioned that I was fighting like a Decepticon, but I failed to grasp the meaning of that statement. Soundwave and I backed up from each other, getting nowhere with our blows.

The gasp, I could hear it in my audio receptors and turned to see the femme bot, Arcee, hit the ground hard. There was another femme bot standing over her, an ugly bot with several limbs. Ratchet had explained her to me as Mira, my mother's sister. I looked back at Soundwave as if a silent announcement that I was done with him.

I ran towards the spider Decepticon quickly and made my steps loud enough to know I was approaching her. I wanted Mira to hear me. I wanted her to turn away from my Arcee. I skidded across the dirt when she turned towards me with a cat like smile. Arcee screamed and at first, I wasn't sure why. Then I felt something in my gut. It didn't feel good, it felt horrible.

"'Pain.'" I repeated with a voice I had taken from the internet. That what this must have been, it must have been pain.

"Wow, very detailed, but you should never give your creations pure life Artemis." Mira told her sister as I fell to the ground, clutching my wound as I felt I should do in a situation like this. "Because at the end of the day, they are only machines." She slammed her foot on my head causing my face to ram into a rock, cracking my visor.

The Autobots began firing upon Mira viciously. I don't know what else was going on because all I could see was Arcee's frame coming over to cradle my head. I tried to say I was alright, but my memory bank contained no such words. I tried to say it felt cold, but still no such words. There was only one thing I could find to say to her.

"'Arcee.'" I repeated before everything went black.

**Artemis POV**

I placed my poor creation down on the berth as softly as possible. He was long dead, but I felt I'd preserve what dignity he had left. For a short moment, when he came to our aid, I felt that perhaps he would win. It all went south when he stopped using his head which I didn't blame him for. Arcee was traumatized; it seemed partners would fall at her feet no matter how hard she tried. Sam clenched Drexel's finger tightly, but no response.

"Can you fix him?" She brushed her hand against the servo lightly.

"I can make repairs. There's no guarantee he'd be the same bot he was." I didn't want to touch the body, but I felt the least I could do is adjust his head so it wasn't sitting so obscurely.

"Can you try?" Sam, I didn't even realize it, had gotten closely connected with Drexel. I fixed Drexel's head and I thought about his face that could never express emotions and thought about how you could always tell what he was feeling. I wanted him to be able to show me that kind invisible smile again.

"I can try." I whispered, getting the welder from Ratchet's work bench and beginning repairs.

**Weeks Later**

Artemis had long ago transferred the shell of Drexel back to X-Tech. She just needed more tools for repairs. Sam balanced her pencil on her nose, not really working, but pretending to. She suddenly heard the roaring of a truck engine and immediately shot up. If they came in with no trailer, they would know that Drexel was once again a mere robot that was still in need of repairs. Optimus drove in first, no trailer. Ratchet drove in first and they all waited for Artemis.

She drove in and no trailer. The kids shared a shuttering amount of disappointment. Artemis stood up and looked over at her shoulder. They all wondered what she was looking for. Then, as if on cue, they all heard the roaring of another engine. They thought about perhaps she brought a separate truck to fool them, but a black muscle car drove up to Artemis' heels. Within moments, the black car transformer and Drexel looked around at the staring and surprised faces.

"Drexel!" Sam jumped down the steps, and hugged the bots extended digit.

"I figured if I was going to fix him, I might as well give him an upgrade." Artemis laughed and took her spot next to Optimus.

"Are you, you?" Arcee asked, wondering if he'd answer her. Drexel looked up at the femme bot and tilted his head to the side.

"'Arcee.'" He repeated and held out to her his welded metal rose. "'Don't worry, be happy.'" The cut of music played and everyone shared a bout of laughter. Arcee however, smiled and accepted the flower gratefully.


	23. Ch 23: Cave In

The Human Prime

Chapter 23: Cave In

"Autobots, stand your ground! We must not let the relic fall into enemy hands." Optimus defended himself against the rapid fire of the Decepticons. The lightning assassins proved to be difficult opponents, not giving in inch as they tried desperately to get closer to the unknown contents of the pod.

"Drexel, Bumblebee, go for it!" Artemis suggested as she returned fire. The two bots nodded to each other before transforming and speeding towards the relic.

"Do not let them get that relic!" Mira ordered, feeling pressured to deliver something to Lord Megatron.

"Quickstep!" RazorMane shouted to his teammate who nodded and went for the capsuled relic. Drexel sped past the yellow scout and transformed. He skidded and gripped the pod in his servos. As he jerked back to return to team, but Quickstep stepped in front of him to keep him from them. She kicked up high, knocking the capsule from his arms and then kept him from retrieving it himself.

"Pop fly!" Quickstep yelled while chuckling as Drexel tried to pass her to get the relic back. ShadowVolt went to catch it, but found himself keeping Bumblebee from getting it instead. Mira caught the relic right before it hit the ground. She smiled and tossed it between her servos.

"Decepticons, let's jet." Mira laughed as she turned to walk away from the bots. Opening the capsule, she peered inside to see what glorious treasure she would be delivering to her lord and master. Before she could get a good look at, what looked like a device, she stumbled back from a sword the landed right in front of her.

"You're not going anywhere Mira!" Phoenix Artemis cried from across the battle field. Mira turned and growled at her sister, a little annoyed about her ruining her entrance. She almost convinced myself to go after Artemis, but reminded herself that she had a job to do. Instead of taking her on head to head, why not fight her from a distance?

Mira took the relic from inside the container and fastened it on her wrist. It looked like a barrel to gun attached to a box, similar to the old fashioned cameras. Artemis wondered if it was a weapon or if her sister was simply going to flash them to death. Mira raised her wrist towards the Autobots and hoped it was what she envisioned it was.

"Hey Artemis," Mira called out directly to her sister as the device made a loud whirring sound. "Think fast." The device let out a pinpoint ray. As Artemis flew up, away from the attack, and away from the landing point, she noticed it cut at the earth like butter. Smooth and clean, it was almost unbelievable. She landed next to Optimus who had equal concerns about the weapon.

Mira, however, was not skilled at using it. She just fired at the Autobots, creating perfect lines in the ground as she did so. Though, what she didn't realize is she was carving up her own fate. The Autobots circled around them, hoping she wouldn't fire into her own kind. But, of course, she did, sometimes cutting up the troopers she brought with her.

The ground shook violently, making Mira stop and question. The Autobots wondered too what could be causing the quake they were feeling. Artemis contacted Ratchet, asking him what the frag was going on. It took Rafael only a few minutes to answer her question.

"It looks like you guys are fighting above an abandoned mine shaft." He called back. Just great, a whole bunch of ten ton robots are fighting on top a rickety old mine, and Mira probably cut up the supports to it with her little light show.

"Autobots, retreat!" Optimus called out as parts of the ground started to sink in. Mira noticed them leaving and growled angrily.

"No you don't." Mira took Phoenix sword and threw it back at her. She was pleased when it went through her right wing, pinning her to the ground. It came at a cost for while she was on the ground to deal with Artemis, the others had already taken off into the air. Mira went down under the ground, into the tunnel.

Artemis struggled, trying to reach behind her wing and pull out the sword, but she just couldn't reach. Optimus turned and saw her. He immediately went back to help her. Arcee, who was running next to Optimus, turned to help too. RazorMane, being a little ticked from losing their leader, shot at the unknowing Arcee, knocking her away from them. Arcee went under then too.

Optimus finally removed the sword form Artemis' wing and helped her up. The wound was big, but didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. Optimus let her go in front of him so that he could ease her forward if the pain became too much. By then the ground was already caving in under them and it was too late. Optimus and Artemis fell down into ground too.

"Optimus! Artemis!" The remaining Autobots cried as they saw their leader and their friend go down into the dark tunnel.

**Artemis POV**

Everything hurt when I woke up. Apparently, I landed so hard that I turned back to a human. My body just was so stiff that any single motion would need a large amount of effort and any effort was more painful than just lying still. However, I had to figure out where I was and what to do. I moved my arms that were sprawled out above my head. I heard shattered class shift as I moved them and I could feel the coolness of metal as I leaned against my palms and leaned forward.

I looked behind me and found Optimus head leaning against the wall. It was then I realized that I was sitting on his chest. He must have caught me in midair so that when we landed, he would take the blunt of the impact. I stood up shakily; there was a large gash in my leg with a sharp stone lodged in it. I removed the stone, letting the Energon that coursed through my veins ooze from it in protest, and walked closer to Optimus' face.

"Optimus?" I said with such a small voice. I placed my hand on his mask which was still over his face. He didn't respond. "Optimus?" I said again, but louder. I realized then he was completely and utterly unconscious. I looked over the rest of his body. His arms were extended at his side and his legs were completely buried.

I looked up at the rocks that clung together to make a ceiling. Thank goodness for that or we would have been crushed. It was high enough for me to stand up in as a bot, but not enough for Phoenix. I jumped off him and transformed, ducking just in case I was bigger than I thought. I began removing the rocks off Optimus legs, hoping perhaps in feeling relief from the pressure would wake him.

When the last stone was moved and he didn't wake up, I started to worry. I hadn't realized it till now, but there was just Energon everywhere. I could see it leaking from his side and wondered how much of it was from him and how much was from me. I walked over to his side and lifted him forward, hoping to lean him against the wall to be more comfortable.

He groaned a little as it was painful enough to bring out a sound from his systems, but not enough to wake him. I saw the rocks jab in his back as I leaned him again the wall. It was no doubt that the majority of the Energon was from him. I had to do something and get us out of here right away.

"Ratchet, Ratchet, come in. Artemis to base." I said into my com-link almost in a panic.

"Art- whe- are- you alri-?" It was all in a jumbled mess. I couldn't seem to hear him.

"Ratchet, you're breaking up! Optimus is hurt really bad, we need to get out of here!" I screamed into the com-link not know if he could make out what I was saying.

"You nee- disconnect- receptors-." Again I only heard a broken conversation. I dropped my hand from my audio receptor and stared at Optimus. The others were no doubt trying to dig them out. Perhaps I could try and find an exit tunnel. I stood up and looked around, there was a hole big enough for my human self to walk through and find an exit.

"I'll be back Optimus." I transformed back and before going through the whole, I looked back at him. "Don't leave me yet, okay?"

**Autobot POV**

Bumblebee and Bulkhead started digging for Artemis and Optimus vigorously. Drexel was digging at a different spot for Arcee. They waited for Ratchet and the called in Wheeljack for more assistance. Ratchet, trying to get the job done hastily, even sent over the kids to help move stones.

They were informed that Artemis tried contacting base. She was screaming about Optimus being in rather poor condition. Ratchet tried to instruct her on a quick fix for him, but she couldn't hear him. They didn't even know what condition Arcee and Artemis was in. They had to hurry.

The Decepticons, true to their nature, were gone, abandoning their commander and the relic that was buried with her. They weren't sure how, but Bulkhead suggest they'd dig her out too, if they had time. Ratchet finally arrived with Wheeljack and the two aided the digging, Wheeljack helping Drexel and Ratchet with the others.

**Artemis POV**

I squeezed into next room with little effort. Again there was nothing more than a dead end. It was beginning to seem like a maze. Though, I came to the realization long ago that any exit was probably closed off long ago when they closed the mine. I began heading back to Optimus yet again. I checked on him in between ventures to see if he had woken up. He never was.

I was beginning to worry. Ever since I leaned him against the wall he would give a small groan or grunt from pain. Now he wasn't even doing that. I poked my head back into the room and still his body laid motionless against the wall. I walked up to his leg and leaded my head against it. He would tell me not to blame myself, but I already did. He would tell me we'd get out of this, but now I wasn't so sure.

I transformed again and leaned against the wall with him. It was a good way to take a break since being a Cybertronian meant I didn't need oxygen. Which I noticed on my last journey was becoming scarce. I grabbed his servo and held it tight as I did when Sam was sick. I just wanted him to open his optics and say he'd be okay.

"I'm no medic." I whispered to myself. It was the only thing that was running in my mind. I couldn't do anything because I wasn't a medic. I didn't know what was wrong to be able to help him in any way. I rubbed my digits across the back of his hand, a humanly gesture, and hoped he would wake up soon.

**Autobot POV**

The bots worked endless, but every rock they pulled seemed to have ten more under it. It simply never ended. Sam stopped midway to the rock pile which they were moving the stones to and listened. She could hear something charging. It was coming further from the dig site.

"What is it Sam?" Jack placed his rock down at look in the direction she was staring.

"I hear something." She tossed her rock over and headed toward the noise. Within moments a small red ray came out from the ground and flashed around as if something were waving it.

"What the-!" Bulkhead stopped hammering and looked into the dust. Mira cam crawling out from the hole she made and laughed.

"I'm guessing by you expression that I'm the first one out." She stood and dusted herself. "I'd love to play Autobots, but I think I've gotten into enough trouble today." She jumped into the air and transformed. Bumblebee, Wheeljack, and Bulkhead began firing at her, but Ratchet stopped them.

"What?" Bulkhead snapped.

"We can use the hole to go in a retrieve Optimus, Artemis and Arcee." Ratchet said simply, already walking over to the hole.

"Oh."

**Artemis POV**

Despite my efforts to conserve oxygen, I completely ran out. I have to stay in my Autobot form in order to survive without suffocating. After waiting for Optimus to respond, I took out the stones form his back and laid him back down. There was nothing more that I could do than to make him as comfortable as possible.

"Are you just going to sit there while both of you die?" A voice, a female voice echoed in my head. I thought of it to be my own voice until I heard it speak again. "Are you going to answer me?"

"Who are you? Another Prime?" I shifted my head from where it leaned against the wall.

"I am Solus Prime, and you are a giving up."

"Solus, there is nothing I can do. I am no medic." I whispered back to her, looking at Optimus form. For a long time I thought she would no answer me, but then she did.

"Then I will help you."

"You weren't known to be a medic."

"I know bot's inside and out. I was not just a great inventor." She offered and I sat up straight.

"You'll help me fix Optimus."

"You don't have the tools to fix him, but you might have the hands to make him stable."

"Alright, tell me." I got onto my knees and waited for instruction, but I didn't expect for her to say what she said next.

"Open his spark chamber."

"W-what! N-no!" I shuttered. There were only two circumstances in which a Cybertronian could look upon another's spark. As a medic in order to fix one's systems or as a sparkmate in order to…I don't even want to say it. I will say it again, I am no medic.

"If you want to save him, you're going to have to open him up and disconnect his pain receptors!" Solus yelled at me from within my head. I nodded slowly.

"Alright, I can do this." I placed my hands over his chest, seeping my digits in between the windshields. I wanted to close my eyes and save him some dignity, but I knew it was possible. I opened up his spark chamber slowly.

**The Nemesis**

"I'm sorry for such a delay. It was real work trying to emerge from the rubble. ALL BY MYSELF!" Mira screamed over at RazorMane and Quickstep who lowered their heads to her.

"Never mind that, you did the Decepticon cause great justice by retrieving the Nano Splitter for me." Megatron turned the device in his hand, holding it in his palm. Mira looked over at Dreadwing who looked back curiously.

"Two for Two, Dreadwing you're running behind." She smirked at him then looked back at the lightning assassins. She raised a questioning brow then eased over to them while Megatron was busy plotting the next course of action "Hey, you, where's Volt?" She whispered in vain, for, Soundwave was listening.

"He said he would return to look for you commander." Quickstep answered. "We thought he returned with you." Mira folded her arms and looked back at her master. He was in a pleasant mood, why ruin it?

"Do not breathe a word of this. I will go retrieve him myself. Soundwave!" Mira announced over to him, he jumped and looked at her wearily. "Come; let us go for a flight around the block." She offered when really she was threatening him into going. He nodded and walked with her out of the room.

**Autobots POV**

They pushed aside stones as they walked through the cavern. They were looking for any signs of their fallen comrades, but nothing had come up. Sometimes they'd reach a wall in which they'd either risk pushing through or turn around. Many times did they just turn around. The sun was beginning to go down and after dark, who knows how much harder it would be to find them.

They were about to turn around to go down a different route when Sam stopped. She heard something again. It was the same charging sound that she heard before Mira busted out. She ducked behind Wheeljack's leg as the bots began to realize the sound too and aimed there blaster at it. In seconds, rocks burst from the wall at them causing them to shield their eyes. They could see two figures emerge from the dusty air.

Finally they noticed the two bots, Optimus and Artemis. Optimus, now conscious, leaned against Artemis' frame unable to stand on his own. The two looked like a pretty pathetic pair. While Energon began to clot over the wounds on Optimus back, Artemis' leg still breached freely. Despite the multiple wounds, he didn't look like he was in any pain.

She held her blaster out until she noticed her friends and then lowered it. She was happy to see them. She helped Optimus forward as the others reached out to relieve her of his weight. Bumblebee and Drexel both helped Artemis as they headed towards the exit.

**Autobot Base**

Artemis sat on the berth rubbing her fixed leg. It still ached, but it was getting a lot better. Bulkhead, Wheeljack, and Drexel all went back to look for Arcee. Bumblebee stayed by her side to keep her from doing anything rash, as he was instructed to do. Ratchet came out from his laboratory looking exhausted.

"Is Optimus going to be okay?" Artemis asked before he could even get by her side.

"He's lost a lot of Energon, but he'll live." He hesitated for a second, trying to bring up something. "Did you try to fix Optimus?"

"I was only trying to make him more comfortable until you could fix him. Why, did something happen? Did I mess up?" She asked in a panicked tone. She was afraid that might happen.

"No, no, you did fine. I'm just a bit, surprised. It was perfect medical work. Where did you learn that?" He asked with a slight smile.

"Solus, she, she spoke to me and agreed to help me fix him." She said with a soft smile.

"Does that mean you have a new transformation?"

"No, she didn't want to. I think she doesn't think I'm ready yet." Artemis stared at her hands. They were shaking when she fixed Optimus, they weren't anymore. "I'm going to go look for Arcee."

"I did not clear you for duty." Ratchet grumbled.

"It's cause of me that she's down there and it's not like I'm battling cons. I'll be careful. I just hope she's alright."

**Arcee POV**

I groaned as I began to come too. My body felt so weak, all I wanted to do was go into power down mode and sleep it off, but I worried if I did that that I would never wake up. My optics drifted around the empty space. It was so dark, dusty, and dry. It felt like my systems were suffocating on the dirt.

A pair of blue optics caught mine. I smiled a little praising Primus that they had finally found me. Though, my smile turned into a look of horror as the bot came out of the shadows and close enough for me to see him. It wasn't an Autobot, it was a Decepticon. I wanted to move, but my body wouldn't. Before, I could even scream I felt myself slip into stasis as he spoke to mean.

"What have you gotten yourself into, two wheeler?" ShadowVolt sighed and reached towards me.


	24. Ch 24: ShadowVolt

The Human Prime

Chapter 24: ShadowVolt

"Alright guys, let's find Arcee before sunrise, sound like a plan?" Artemis said as she jumped down into the mine.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Bulkhead lowered himself for the third time that night into the mine.

"Ratchet gave me the thumbs up." She assured him, watching Drexel jump into the mine as well. "Alright let's go." They hadn't even taken a step before seeing a figure emerge from the shadows, holding another bot in its arms.

**Earlier**

ShadowVolt noticed the motorcycle Autobot had lost consciousness. He traced his digits across the side of her face, how soft. He smiled slightly and picked her up bridal style. Not to heavy, good, that was the last thing he needed. He turned around and began walking towards the exit. He could hear her whispering under her breath. She obviously wasn't in that deep of a sleep.

"You should stay silent and save your strength." ShadowVolt's voice overpowered hers but she still mumbled. "You're safe now, two wheeler. No need to plea for your life."

"Get fragged." He chuckled for even in such a low state of mind she had enough strength to curse him.

"Be still my beating spark, you are a feisty one."

**Now**

"Drop her Con!" Bulkhead pointed his cannons at her followed by Drexel. Artemis paused and looked at ShadowVolt. He seemed calm and yet yielding to them. He seemed to have not intentions on attacking or using Arcee as a shield.

"Lower your weapons! Let me pass and I will deliver her to you unharmed." ShadowVolt's voice echoed in the mine. Bulkhead wasn't buying anything he said. His cannon whirring as he prepares to strike.

"Wait Bulk, I don't think he wants to hurt Arcee or he would have done so already." She offered, putting a servo on his shoulder. ShadowVolt moved a little too soon, shifting towards them. Bulkhead and Drexel blasted him on the same time. ShadowVolt dropped Arcee and fell onto his back, systems down.

"'Uh-oh.'" Drexel vocalized.

"Bulkhead, he was helping Arcee!" Artemis groaned as she walked over to ShadowVolt's body and examined the damage, nothing Ratchet couldn't fix up. "Get Arcee." She said as she picked up his body.

"We're taking him!" Bulkhead yelled as Bumblebee passed him to get Arcee.

"You shot him when he was under a white flag." She said metaphorically. "The least we could do is fix him up. Ratchet, activate the bridge, we're coming back to base."

As the group filed through the ground bridge, Artemis awaited for Ratchets ranting. She didn't have to wait too long. The moment she walked through the bridge and he saw ShadowVolt in her arms, he began screaming. She didn't bother explain to him while he ranted, she simply placed his body on the berth near Arcee's.

Optimus walked into the room and Artemis faced him unafraid. She watched him look at Arcee then at the wounded Decepticon in sick bay. He listened to Ratchet's argument and that of his other soldiers. Finally, all the others feel silent as he looked upon Artemis.

"He saved Arcee and brought her to us. Bulkhead shot him down by accident. The least we can do is fix him up for what he did for team prime. I mean, if Megatron finds out what he did, he'd probably terminate him." Artemis suggested and looked over her shoulder at ShadowVolt. Optimus paused, not answering for many seconds.

"Ratchet, tend to our guests wounds." Artemis smiled at him, realizing he trusted her judgments. "But do not leave him unattended."

"I will guard him myself Optimus." She nodded.

**Hours Later**

ShadowVolt groaned, feeling the pain wracking from his shoulder through the rest of his body. However, it was a fraction of the pain he was feeling before. He slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see the cave ceiling or the ceiling of the Decepticon warship. He saw neither. ShadowVolt was completely confused about where he was. Suddenly he saw the Autobot medic, Ratchet come down at him with his torch.

"Woah! Woah! Hey, come on doc, can't we talk this out!" ShadowVolt darted away from under Ratchet's welder.

"Hold still!" Ratchet shouted and tried to get closer, but ShadowVolt backed away from him. He felt his back hit against a large figure. He turned his head to Phoenix and tried to dart under her arm, but she grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.

He felt the welder touch his shoulder. He groaned loud when it passed over his wound. ShadowVolt suddenly felt the welder stop and Phoenix drop her arm and transforming back into her normal Cybertron form. He slide down the wall until he was sitting, having a small panic attack.

"Now you can freak out." Artemis said, backing away from him. Ratchet grumbled and stormed out of the room. ShadowVolt traced his digits over the wound and found it to be repaired.

"Why did you-"

"Thank you. For bringing Arcee back to us. Sorry about shooting you. We can be a little jittery sometimes." She smiled at him and he gave an awkward smile back. He nodded and got up slowly. "You probably want to get out of here, huh?"

Artemis watched his expression closely. He seemed almost disappointed as if he didn't want to go back to where he knew he belonged. She walked him out to the main room where all the bots stood around Arcee. He looked over to her and their eyes met. Arcee immediately stood up and stormed over to him.

"Why'd you save me con?" He back away from her slightly with his hands up as a defense.

"Just because I am a con, doesn't mean I can't also be a gentleman." He folded his arms and bowed slightly. "You were in distress."

"A con is a con and an Autobot is an Autobot." She snapped.

"Well, not all cons become a Decepticon because they want ultimate power." He heard Artemis open the ground bridge for him, sensing the tension. "Well, I guess I better go where all cons must go." He turned to leave, but Artemis asked him a question.

"Why did you become a Decepticon then, if you don't like what they stand for?" She waited for an answer, Optimus entering the room quietly.

"I guess you could say I sold my spark to Megatron." He answered, looking rather vexed. "Thank you taking care of my wounds and I hope you recover, Arcee." He left through the ground bridge.

Artemis did not like his answer, she went to go pursue him, but Optimus stopped her. She looked up at him and found he was also unsatisfied. He followed ShadowVolt, Drexel following close behind as a precaution. He saw ShadowVolt standing, looking up at the stares in the dark woods where they bridged him to.

"What did you do young bot?" Optimus called which startled ShadowVolt. Usually, Optimus would be defensive and expect an attack from the Decepticon, but this one was different. Strangely, he trusted the assassin and respected him as a Cybertronian. Drexel hid behind a tree, recording the conversation for the others to listen to later.

"I, I made a deal with Megatron. A long time ago back when I was first an Autobot." It was then that Optimus realized why he trusted the bot. He remembered, barely, his face that used to glow with passion. Now it only showed a gloomy, painful expression.

"What kind of deal?"

"My unit was captured, most were already dead. He was pressuring us for information, but all of us refused. He was killing us one by one, but I fought back viciously. I guess Lord Megatron thought he could use that, so he offered me a deal. I don't know how he knew, but he knew I had someone special to me. My sparkmate, he promised she'd remain safe during the war if I became one of his Decepticons." He explained sadly as if recalling the memory in his head one image at a time.

"And you agreed?"

"Of course I did! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to know one day the bot you love just might not come back?"

"I understand, but I must warn you. Megatron is not without faults. His 'promises' cannot always be trusted." Optimus offered the words to him as an invitation. Artemis had convinced him that he was the one among the Decepticons who seemed to be always hesitant on their plans. Perhaps, ShadowVolt would be the first of many that he could convert.

"I have not seen my sparkmate in many eons, Optimus Prime, but I do not know how to go about finding her." ShadowVolt heard the buzzing of approaching planes. "You should go; there is someone out looking for me." He watched as Optimus left through the ground bridge followed by an Autobot he didn't realize was there. He turned to the noise and found Soundwave and Mira landing on the ground behind him.

"ShadowVolt, what are you doing way out here?"

"I was looking for you Commander Mira, when I found you weren't at the mine I went to see where you wondered off to."

"I had the relic you idiot. I would have gone straight to the warship." She circled him like a vulture as he stood frozen. "I think you are aligning yourself with the Autobots."

"You're wrong."

"Then you have nothing to fear, but know this. I will be keeping a close eye on you and if you show any sign of shifting you better watch your back." She watched him walk away before jumping into the sky, transforming, and flying away. "Soundwave, keep this between us for now. I want to show my Lord that I can keep my contribution to the cause in line."

Soundwave reluctantly nodded before following her into the sky and going after ShadowVolt.

**Next Day**

ShadowVolt walked around the warship, pacing in front of all the computers at least once. He clung to Optimus' words and wondered if he could try and sneak past Soundwave's defenses. Impossible, he thought, there was no way of doing that. However, he couldn't stop himself from staring at the keys.

When he finally decided to try, a signal popped up on the screen. It was an Autobot signal yet it didn't seem important. Perhaps just a mistaken frequency as they reported their patrol details. He stared at the point, memorizing its location and then deleted it. This was so stupid, he didn't know why he was risking so much, but in a way he could stop his streak.

ShadowVolt jumped from his place on the on the back of the ship and flew towards the coordinates. To keep his ware bouts hidden, he made unnecessary turns and stops. When he felt no presence, he made his way to the location. He flew over the motorcycle secretly. It didn't seem to notice. Finally, he dropped down on it and tackled it.

Arcee grunted as the two rolled on the ground. She managed to jump away and get into a fighting stance. She growled at his laughter. He just laid there on the ground, laughing hysterically.

"What's the big idea?!" She screamed and finally he slowed down his laughter enough to speak.

"I just wanted to see how you were recovering, Ar-cee." ShadowVolt let a few more laughs slip his lips before rising from the ground.

"Couldn't you do that without tackling me?"

"I could, but then what fun would that be?" He went to get closer to her, but she retreated back. "Oh, come on, I don't bite. I'm not as bad as you think I am."

"I know." She mumbled. "But I'm not quite ready to trust you. At least, not fully."

"Well, I guess I should take that as a compliment."

"I need to go back on patrol."

"Oh, come on, walk with me?"

"If you haven't noticed, we're robots in disguise. We can't just walk around anywhere we please."

"I know a place!"

It didn't take long for them to get to a safe area. They talked mostly about Arcee. Her two lost partners and how reluctant she was to allow Jack to be her partner. That conversation let to the explanation of the human children. She told him about Jack, Rafael, and Miko, but nothing that would give away their location. They then talked about Artemis, how she was such a gifted child.

"She trusts you, you know." Arcee suddenly said in between.

"I don't know why. I haven't done anything to deserve it, but I am grateful for it." ShadowVolt smiled slightly.

"Then who are you?"

"As in teams, I don't know, but I need to choose soon." He looked at her face and smiled. "Though, you're making it very hard to be unbiased."

"Excus-" She felt him place a small kiss on her cheek. She went to hit him, but he ran off and jumped into the sky.

"See you later femme!" He laughed as he flew off.

**The Nemesis**

ShadowVolt felt the smile he had from his visit with Arcee stuck on his face. He held each conversation with her close to his heart. It was then he found himself struck with courage. He went over to a computer and began researching. He didn't mind if Soundwave caught him, but he tried his hardest to be sneaky.

"MoonRay." He whispered his sparkmates name as he looked for her in his research. When he finally found her, he froze in shock. Her name was marked in the records. She was marked as dead. He looked at the date and found it to be long before his deal with Megatron. He read on and found that she was killed by a long forgotten gladiator.

ShadowVolt back away from the keys, feeling a pain in his spark spread throughout his body. He heard the door open and he got rid of his work in one click. He turned to see Mira, her smiling face boring into him. He smiled half-heartedly back.

"What is it commander?"

"Come, Megatron requests your presence." She turned and waited for him to follow her. He couldn't stop thinking about MoonRay. She gestured him to walk in first and he did.

ShadowVolt gazed upon his Lord's face. He looked considerably angry, but he didn't care. You lied to me, he grinded his dental plates trying to stay calm. His voice came out sharply as he asked why he was there. It almost sounded disrespectful in which only Mira and Dreadwing noted.

"I have been informed of your little flights alone, ShadowVolt." Megatron looked only slightly at Mira who nodded back at him. "Perhaps you'd like to tell me what the purpose is."

"A simple stroll my lord, nothing more." ShadowVolt kept his hands clenched at his side.

"No point lying to me." Megatron pointed out and noticed ShadowVolt begin to back up towards the door.

"You and I made a deal Megatron." He made sure to put emphasis on the lack of 'lord.' "And yet you broke it before it even began."

"Come again?"

"MoonRay, she's dead! You said she'd be safe!"

"Tragic things happen in war and death is a natural occurrence." Megatron pointed his cannon at ShadowVolt. "For example, you are about to become a natural occurrence."

Before he could begin to charge his cannon, ShadowVolt turned himself to run out the door. Mira went to grab him, hold him to his execution, but she was surprised to find she could hold onto him. She yelled for the others to catch him which she raised herself from the ground. ShadowVolt transformed and zoomed through the halls, feeling the others begin to nip at his tail. He blasted the hanger doors off and got into the open air. He needed help.

**Autobot Base**

"We're getting a distress signal." Ratchet exclaimed to the Autobots sitting around the base.

"Who?" Arcee asked, not taking her eyes off the race car Jack was controlling.

"ShadowVolt." Artemis rose from where she sat on the steps. Arcee, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee looked over at Optimus for an answer.

"Autobots, Roll out!"

**Beach**

ShadowVolt felt his systems take on the sand as Mira pushed him deeper into the unstable ground. His wings were clawed and his engine was shot. He couldn't really get his bearings in the sand. Big robots and shifty sand did not mix well.

"I'm glad Lord Megatron allowed me to terminate your spark myself." She was choking him, trying to sever the wires at his neck that allowed signals to his neronet. ShadowVolt reached out to touch her shoulder and tried shocking her away, but she was resilient. He thought he'd offline for good until she suddenly let go.

It took him awhile to come out of his limbo. He could hear blaster fire and loud screams, but couldn't determine who's they were. ShadowVolt's vision finally leveled out as he saw Arcee leaning over him with Bumblebee. He smiled softly, but could hear what she was saying to him. She lifted him from the sand, piles of it shifting out of his systems.

"Arcee, I didn't know you cared." He mumbled, but she was too busy to answer. Artemis took on her sister, trying to stay balanced on the sand. She hit rapidly against her center until Mira finally fell back.

"RazorMane!" She called out to the tall bot who hit at Bulkhead's shoulder. He looked over at ShadowVolt who seemed to be coming out of his daze. He ran away from Bulkhead, getting him in range with the other Autobots. ShadowVolt saw his old partner reach for his belt.

"Get down!" He yelled at he brought Bumblebee and Arcee down into the dirt. RazorMane drew a large blaster from the metal holster. It locked onto his hand perfectly and began to rotate like a gantlet gun. Within seconds the air was filled with blaster fire. Bulkhead ducked low between 'sand dunes,' but his back was still being grazed with the fire.

"What is that?" Artemis screamed over to ShadowVolt.

"It's his Lightning Revolver! He only uses it when he wants to pin something down or kill it." He answered then looked over at the ground bridge. "Is that ours?"

"Autobots, retreat!" Optimus made a break for the ground bridge. RazorMane didn't even flinch as he fired wave upon wave.

Bulkhead was the first to scramble toward the bridge, a success despite his large size. Artemis made her way over to the others and egged Bumblebee to go. He did and oddly enough that was a success as well. Before they stood up to get ShadowVolt out of there, she noticed that the shots were not going anywhere near the bridge. He was trying to terminate ShadowVolt, period.

"Arcee, go." ShadowVolt said, holding her up by her arm.

"What?" She looked down at him with a questioning look.

"Go, he wants me, not you. Get out of here!" He said with an angry tone and ducked his head in the sand.

"Arcee, go! I'll get him out." Artemis agreed and watched Arcee hesitantly run to the bridge.

"Why do you trust me so much?" He laughed, feeling Artemis loop his arm around her shoulder.

"Because I remember MoonRay too." She whispered and knew that she'd have to explain the situation later. RazorMane was getting closer and the blaster fire was getting to become more painful. Mira, feeling she could take the hits from the Lightning Revolver anyways, began to storm towards them thirsty for blood.

"Watch out!" ShadowVolt used his body weight to shove Artemis into the sand. Mira dug her claws into his armor, drawing Energon.

"You lo-" Before Mira could answer, Phoenix Artemis kicked her in her chest causing to fall into the sand.

"Thanks for the save." She turned back into her normal Autobot form and practically dragged him through the bridge. By the time the ground bridge was closed, ShadowVolt was unconscious from the loss of Energon.

**The Nemesis**

Mira stood in front of the remaining two Lightning Assassins. After the failure to terminate ShadowVolt, Megatron had forced her to approach the two in a test of loyalty. She stared at them, trying to think of how to put her next words. She looked back at her lord then at the waiting assassins.

"RazorMane, Quickstep, where do your loyalties lie?" Mira watched their expressions. Quickstep looked torn, almost reluctant to answer. She looked over at RazorMane to answer for her. RazorMane peered slightly at his last partner then looked past Mira at Megatron.

"I once considered ShadowVolt a brother. Now," He paused only briefly, "he is a traitor. No one bot is above Lord Megatron and the Decepticon cause. The next our paths meet, I won't hesitate to terminate his spark. You have my word, my commander, my Lord."

"That's what I want to hear." Megatron smiled his toothy grin.

**Autobot Base**

ShadowVolt stirred from his stasis. He could feel the cords replenishing his Energon supply. He sat up slowly, feeling a bit sore, but not in pain. One of the small humans, Sam, ran up to him and smiled. He smiled down at her softly, happy to see the child.

"Good morning sleepy head." For the first time did he see Artemis as a human. She sat on Optimus' shoulder casually, waiting for his response.

"How long was I out?" ShadowVolt reached back to his wing, barely brushing his digits against it. He felt his Decepticon shield and found it to be differently shaped.

"Awhile." She answered. He looked back and found that his shield had changed face and color. It was an Autobot shield. "I thought that you'd be homeless for a while. You're welcome to join us."

"I, I don't deserve this." He muttered.

"Every sentient being possesses the ability to change. I think you've well deserved this." Artemis smiled up at her partner and he nodded.

"Thank you." ShadowVolt whispered, holding one hand to his spark as if recalling a joyous memory.


	25. Ch 25: Space Madness

The Human Prime

Chapter 25: Space Madness

Optimus worked viciously on decoding the Iacon database. Artemis used Ratchet's computer to assist him, knowing some of the Cybertronian language and its complex codes. ShadowVolt watched him briefly. He was no clerk, but he knew some of the codes as he sometimes watched Soundwave work. His attention was caught by Arcee walking in with Jack. He immediately got to her side and picked up Jack.

"So do I get my own partner?" He was looking at Jack, but was indirectly asking Arcee.

"I think three humans are enough to get in this situation." Arcee said with a harsh tone. He smiled slightly realizing he made a small slip up in trying to begin a conversation.

"Then can I burrow yours?"

"I'm right here you know." Jack said completely annoyed. ShadowVolt smiled at him and put him down on the ground.

"Sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to be so insensitive." He watched Arcee walk away from him. "Is there any way to get on her good side?"

"Stop trying so hard." Jack mentioned, realizing long before he was trying to get her to like him.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to, but everyone is on edge with me being an ex-Decepticon and all. I really want to get everyone to like me." ShadowVolt looked over at Drexel who was courting Arcee much more successfully. "That guy surely works fast."

"Who, Drexel? I'm sure Arcee just takes pity on him because he's not really a Cybertronian." Jack was about to walk over to the stairs when ShadowVolt scooped him up again.

"Come again?"

"Artemis made him."

"Oh, well, that explains a lot." He turned when he heard the others coming in. He put down Jack and tried his luck with the other bots. He was much more successful, getting accepted into a game of 'basketball by way of Cybertron.'

"Ratchet." Optimus said suddenly. The idol Ratchet came over to his leader's aid.

"The coordinates seem to be located off this world. Yet, they still seem to be located close by." Ratchet switched places with Optimus and went through triangulating the coordinates. Artemis heard the commotion and came over from her workstation. Rafael looked at the screen then noticed its position.

"That's our moon." He stated.

"Great, how are we supposed to get to the moon? It's not like we have a warship like Megatron." Bulkhead complained and rubbed his head.

"I don't think L- Megatron, would leave the earth's atmosphere on his warship. It would take too much time." ShadowVolt said which the others took his opinion.

"There still remains question of how we are going to get up there!" Ratchet screamed over the others who bickered about Megatron's move.

"I'll go." ShadowVolt took advantage that his vehicle mode was that of flight.

"By yourself? Great idea, then you can finally give Mira the chance to scrap you AND get a relic." Arcee was harsh to him again which made him look away from her.

"He won't be alone. I'll go with him too." Artemis wrapped her arm around ShadowVolt then nodded at Optimus. "Our flight speed can get us there and back in a day or so."

"Artemis is anything bad happens up there and you transform back. You can't breathe up there Artemis!" Sam noted for her, but Artemis only smiled.

"I'll wear the E.P. armor. I can put on some oxygen tanks and voila!" She looked back at Optimus who seemed very conflicted.

"I'm afraid, we have no other choice." He finally said and nodded at the two of them.

**The Nemesis**

Mira watched over Soundwave's shoulder. He was so close to deciphering the last bit of coordinates. She wanted to get out of the warship so badly. She wanted to correct her mistake. ShadowVolt, he will die by her hand is she had anything to say about it. Soundwave finally finished the coordinates.

"Where do I go Soundwave? Just tell me! I will fly to the moon and back if that what it takes to get this next relic!" She shouted before looking at it. When she realized where it was she backed off. "I didn't mean literally."

"We must retrieve this relic for Lord Megatron." Dreadwing mounted his blaster onto his back.

"Yeah, but that's such a long flight." She thought long and hard about the distance. "On second thought, I'll send my new toy to get it for me."

"What new toy?" He looked back at his fellow commander and saw the smirk on her face. She got on the intercom against Soundwave's instruction.

"Knockout, bring me 'Sky Spike.'"

**Completion of Preparations**

"We'll try and ground bridge you as far as possible, but we can't risk snapping it." Ratchet said as he opened the ground bridge. Phoenix Artemis waited for ShadowVolt to go first before leaving herself. Sam ran up to the bridge and called out to her, but she wasn't paying enough attention to know what she said. It was cold and dark, typical space. Who knows how fast they'd have to go to get there in less than a day. Artemis clamped her hands on ShadowVolt's, his face bearing a smile.

"Let's get to it, shall we?" ShadowVolt said with a smile, transforming and zooming off without warning. Artemis extended her wings, getting ready to fly. She held a camera loosely in her palm and debated whether to hook it up yet. "You coming?" She decided she'd wait.

The flight was rather boring. With their wings locked and going maximum overdrive (if you can even call it that in midair) it was hard to see what details there was out in space. Games of eye spy would be wasted for what wasn't a star or small dots of far off planets were small particles not worth the time to glance at.

Despite how close the moon looked, every mile they thought they were getting closer seemed wasted. It all seemed the same to them. It wasn't till they began getting really close that they found they were making any significant progress.

"Artemis?" Ratchet's voice came through the static. It was difficult to hear, but just enough to understand.

"Ratchet, what is it?" She screamed loudly into her com-link hoping he'd hear.

"When you arrive at the moon's surface be sure to set up proper communications to eliminate any lag or static through transmissions." That Ratchet, always thinking two steps ahead. When they finally did get in range of the moon, ShadowVolt was the first to step foot on it.

"Whoa, I thought this was going to be rocky. This ground feels like powder."

"And rock." Artemis added before folding in her wings and extending out a pole. "One small step for man, one giant step for the Autobots." She stated heroically and even through the static was blocking a lot of the communications; she could still hear the kid's laughter through the com-link. She stabbed the pole into the ground and set up the communications link.

"Stop fooling around Artemis!" Ratchet screamed with precise clarity.

"I'm not, I'm not." She tried to defend herself and looked around. Where should they start? "I call the dark side." Artemis walked past ShadowVolt, but he tagged along as well. It was almost a complete split. You could peer into the darkness and see nothing but outlines, if you kept going you wouldn't see anything.

"Flashlight?" ShadowVolt handed the torch to her, allowing her to see into the dark abyss.

"Artemis, I wanna see!" Sam screamed from the safety of the base. Artemis couldn't help, but laugh. She took the camera she had been holding in her hand and gave it to ShadowVolt to set up. He placed the camera to perch on his shoulder.

"See everything alright over there?" He laughed and could hear Sam gasp and sigh.

"ShadowVolt, over here." Artemis called him over which he followed. "Ratchet, there isn't just a relic up here."

**Autobot Base**

"By the Allspark, it's a ship." Ratchet's jaw dropped and stared at the illuminated remains of a ship.

"A cargo ship." Optimus elaborated.

"From which side?" Arcee looked very serious, almost deadly. The camera jerked a little, ShadowVolt must have tripped on a space rock. The camera focused on a spot on the ship. There was a mark that was covered in grime. A hand, Artemis' hand, brushed against it until the grime finally peeled off. It was an Autobot ship.

"We're entering the ship now." Artemis called in as she went past the camera. ShadowVolt seemed to linger at the symbol before heading towards the door. Artemis pried it open with all her might, but even after a while ShadowVolt had to help her.

"What if this is a plague ship? Like the one you found in the desert?" Jack pointed out and all of a sudden, all the bots seemed to get very tense. Sam didn't understand, but the word plague seemed to give her the chills too. It was a good sign when they first stepped into the ship and found the halls to be charred as if it were shot down.

**Artemis POV**

I felt something pulling me in, telling me to come closer to it. It was warm and friendly making me think that it was a prime artifact. I looked back at Shadow who was watching me. The bot was positioning the camera so that it would angle in a way that made it look like an adventure movie. She wished he'd help so that they could get home before the Decepticons even knew there was an artifact on the moon.

"Do you hear that?" ShadowVolt whispered, positioning the camera towards the ceiling. "It's on the roof."

"Speak of the devil." I sighed and grabbed his shoulder. "I'll go, look for artifact."

"No, I'll go too. If there's more than one of them, you can't take them alone." He frowned and went to follow him out. I covered the camera with my hand and pulled him closer.

"Find the artifact. If they find it there's no telling what could happen. FIND the ARTIFACT!" I let go of him and headed outside. The first one I saw was Dreadwing. I smiled at the second in command and waved him down. The second bot I saw was RazorMane. I figured he was here to kill ShadowVolt. The last bot I saw, I wasn't sure if I could consider a bot.

It was a monster. Its wings made of different layers of thin metal. The small jets mounted on the ends of the wings were small and probably only just big enough to allow it to fly. Its long tail ached like an anchor for its large bird like head. Though it wasn't the wings or tail that bothered her, it was the spikes. There were spikes mounted from the top of its head, down its back, all the way down the tail.

"Sky Spike, get her." Dreadwing pointed to me and I smiled. That monster couldn't do anything to me. So I thought. The beast jumped above me and slammed his extremely spiky tail at me. I side stepped only for it to come at me again. At such a close range I could see particles coated on its spikes. Mira's trying to poison me.

I didn't notice RazorMane load his blaster onto his arm. I didn't see him point it at me. ShadowVolt did. I looked behind me when I managed to shake the beast. ShadowVolt hit against RazorMane to keep him from firing not one round. I wanted to yell at him to look for the relic, but he was keeping my back from frying.

"Where's Dreadwing?" I looked around. The beast was prowling, circling me, so I kept an eye on him. RazorMane was busy with ShadowVolt, but where was the commander? I didn't move fast enough. Dreadwing was hiding from my vision and only let me see him when his blaster was at his hips. He didn't blast me first.

**Autobot Base**

"Decepticons." Sam growled and crossed her arms. "Don't they ever take vacations?"

"ShadowVolt, don't let Artemis go alone!" Ratchet said in a stern voice. The camera was still which suggested he was struggling with Ratchet's orders and Artemis'.

"Shadow, she can't take them on her own, please go. Please!" Sam pleaded and the camera shifted slightly as if ShadowVolt was nodding.

"There are three of them. Oh great it's Dreadwing." When he said that, the Autobots exchanged glances. The second in command is fighting against Artemis, highly capable, but still human, and ShadowVolt, an ex-Decepticon which style of fighting is probably known.

"Artemis, Artemis, do you hear me?" Ratchet tried to contact Artemis, but if she did hear him, she didn't answer. "Artemis, retreat, you're outnumbered. ShadowVolt, look at Artemis."

The camera didn't move. ShadowVolt was busy looking at RazorMane. The Decepticon was mounting the Lightning Revolver onto his arm. He rushed so quickly to stop RazorMane that the camera caused Rafael and Sam to get a bit of motion sickness. The close up of RazorMane's face was not appreciated. Though, Sam and Miko seemed to enjoy the close up action.

"Go ShadowVolt, go!" Sam yelled and smiled.

"I always wanted my own cheer squad." ShadowVolt laughed and continued to his RazorMane. Arcee folded her servos and shook her head.

"Don't get cocky." Arcee sounded annoyed and yet she too was smiling.

"How's Artemis doing Shadow?" Sam looked over at Optimus. He was very stiff and tried to not look worried. He wasn't succeeding.

"Give me a second." He hit RazorMane with a few quick jabs and then tossed his over his shoulder. When he looked over to Artemis, everyone gasped. Dreadwing just slammed himself into her. The body slam looked rough and was almost painful to watch.

"Artemis!"

**Artemis POV**

My whole body ached and I tried to regain my composer. My worst fear was being realized; I felt my body begin to change back into a human. I looked over at Dreadwing, not quite changing yet, and found his blaster charged.

"Scrap." I mumbled as the blaster fire hit my straight in the stomach, causing me to change almost immediately as my body crashed into the ship. The ship was so old that it crumbled underneath me as I crashed into it, forcing me deeper into the ship.

**Autobot Base**

"Artemis!" Sam panicked.

"Artemis!" ShadowVolt skidded down into the moon dust only to be stopped by RazorMane. "Scrap!"

"Get to Artemis aid!" Ratchet demanded loudly. Optimus, who had been silent and still the whole time, came towards the com-link and tried to get ahold of Artemis himself.

**Artemis POV**

"Artemis? Artemis, are you okay?" I could hear Optimus, but wasn't sure where it came from. It finally came to me that it was over the com-link. I wanted to respond, but my body wouldn't move. I felt the air not coming into my lungs as freely and wondered if I simply had a loss of breath, if a rib had pierced my lung, or if my suit had a leak. "Artemis, please respond!"

_Please. _I heard that word and tried my hardest to try and speak. Optimus needs me to answer him. I need to answer him. I couldn't seem to respond even though I tried so hard. I looked out into the space above me. Pieces of the ship from when I broke through them floated in zero gravity. Then I saw Sam's Autobot badge.

_Sam_. She made that just for me. She made it in hopes that it would protect me. I couldn't just let it float away from me. I went to move my arm to reach for it, but it wouldn't budge.

"No." I finally managed to squeeze out of my lips. "I am not going to let it end here." I forced my arm up and reached for the badge knowing my arm wasn't long enough to reach. "I'm not going to be another Autobot down."

I finally managed to turn back into an Autobot, not Phoenix, but it was a start. I grabbed my badge and held it to my chest. I couldn't allow myself to turn back into a human until I got home. I needed to end this now. My thoughts were interrupted by a faint blue glow. I looked over at the small pile of broken down ship parts and moved them aside.

"Whoa."

**Autobot Base**

"ShadowVolt, hang in there!" Ratchet yelled into the com-link. ShadowVolt panted heavily, his body wearing down from trying to keep all three bots at bay. He was leaking Energon and they seemed un-phased.

Sam was crying. Optimus still couldn't get a hold of Artemis and she wasn't sure if she was dead or not. Things were looking bad and were getting worse by the second. ShadowVolt wanted to disconnect the camera, but hadn't had time.

The beast came at him first. It was hungry for ShadowVolt's Energon. ShadowVolt was tired; he didn't really want to fight anymore. He closed his optics, expecting to feel the beast infecting him and tearing him limb by limb.

Sam gasped when a sword pierced through the beast, cutting it completely in half. It didn't look like Phoenix's sword. Artemis walked into the cameras view. She took the sword in her hand and it glowed lightly in response. She didn't look back at the camera, she didn't need to. Sam smiled at her figure and nodded.

"The Star Saber."

**Artemis POV**

I took the Star Saber in my hand and brought it level to my hips. I could see Dreadwing jerk back. He was scared now. I could tell. I heard Prima clearly. I could hear him telling me what to do, how to use his weapon of choice.

"Dreadwing," I announced over to him. "I suggest you yield." It didn't take long for the second in command to wave his hand over to RazorMane in a sign of retreat.

"Lord Megatron's not going to be too happy about them returning empty handed." ShadowVolt laughed very weakly, holding his servo and walked over to my side. "Artemis?"

I didn't respond to him. I was getting a message from someone, someone I knew from memories and stories. I stared at the blade, tilting my head slightly as the message continued. I heard Ratchet trying to contact me through the com-link. When the message was finished I lowered the blade and sighed heavily. It was exhausting. I turned the camera and got closer to it.

"Keep the porch light on for us Jasper. We're coming home."

**Autobot Base**

They watched Artemis and ShadowVolt walk through the ground bridge. Phoenix Artemis took the Star Saber from her back and transformed back to the normal Autobot form as she approached Optimus. There was a strong silence.

"Optimus, I think this belongs to you." Artemis raised the Star Saber towards him and allowed him to take it.

"Thank you." He paused for a moment. "Artemis Prime."


	26. Ch 26: Space Bridge Malfunction

The Human Prime

Chapter 26: Space Bridge Malfunction

"Ratchet, I need you to help me with something." Artemis whispered when the others were off in different parts of the base.

"Yes, what is it?" Ratchet asked very critically.

"I need you to help me build something."

"You're not making ANOTHER bot are you?" He sounded very against the idea of filling up the base more, as if the amount of allies they now had was crowding him.

"No, no. I'm making something more complex and probably useful. I have Burgundy gathering all the parts I need for it, but I need someone to supervise." She saw his face turn serious.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened up on the moon?" His question was very vague. A lot of things happened up on the moon, but remembering about how ShadowVolt was talking to him earlier, Ratchet probably meant the small period in which she was silent just staring at the star saber.

"Yes, it is." Artemis said plainly not offering any explanation.

"What exactly are you planning on building, Artemis?"

"A space bridge."

**Deep Underground in Testing Facility**

Artemis wished that Ratchet could stay and help more, but his work at the base had been extensive since the discovery of the relics. She looked over the plans and made sure that each part was listed. Then she leaned back in her chair and looked over at the building site. The frame was there already. Long metal bars outlined what was going to be there in a few days.

She didn't know much about Space Bridge engineering. It was a lost art and wasn't discussed often in her teachings or memories. There was one bot she knew, however, that could help her build a Space Bridge with pinpoint accuracy. She just hoped she was ready.

**Artemis POV**

"Solus!" I called into her mind's world. The others, Primus, Prima, and Primal, stood behind me. They expected I was here to speak with them, but that was not the case. "Solus, please I need to speak with you!" The others disappeared suddenly and a slender femme stood before me.

"You bellowed?" Solus said rather sarcastically. The bot seemed uncomfortable with me. I suppose it was because she felt more at home with her inventions then with other living things.

"I need your help Solus."

"I thought I told you that you are not ready to merge with me." She groaned at me and I wondered if she was just saying that because she didn't want to.

"It's important. I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't." She turned from me as if she could walk away from me in my own mind, but I ran around and stood in her way. "I need to build a space bridge! You're the only one who knows how to build one blindfolded!"

"Wait, build?" It was like a trigger word. Her interest caught in a single word that drew her in enough to listen.

"Yes, build. I need to build a Space Bridge." I muttered to her and for a second she just stared. She began to smile and I could tell she finally was starting to like me. It was just really sad that it was over a word.

"Maybe you're ready for me after all."

It was very weird coming out of my mind in the new form. It was shorter than my other forms, maybe around the same size as Arcee. I looked down at my body and found myself to be colored in different shades of grey. My waist held a crossing belt that held different devices in holsters. I transformed my arm eager to see what weapons were held in the new body, but was disappointed when I was greeted by a stub.

"What is this?" I looked around it and indeed it was just a stub with a peg sticking out.

"The devices on your holster smarty." Solus whispered in my head and I saw the devices on my waist had openings to plug my arm into. A weird concept, but I did it anyways. The first was a welder in which I wasn't too surprising to see. The second was like Ratchet's blade, short like a scalpel. The third holster I found was empty.

"What's hitting me?" I kept feeling something brush up against my aft. I reached back and pulled what seemed like a long metal braid until my digits held the end of it. The end of the long braid was a spike that looked like it opened up. I went to try and open it, but Solus screamed. "What?!"

"Don't touch that!" I was a little bit alarmed with her saying that so I dropped it allowing it to flow back over my shoulder. "That's a cortical cable."

"A what? Wait, cortical as in cortical physic patch?"

"Never heard of that, but it's a cord that can hook you up to any computer or bot directly." It sounded a little creepy and yet I wondered if she was the first to design something like this. I only walked a few steps forward before something fell over my eyes making my vision see red.

"What did I do now?!" I groaned and felt over my eyes. It was a visor. I must have not noticed the hinged visor that was, until now, secured on top of my head. Information danced across my vision like a snow storm, only when I looked at a specific spot did it slow down.

"This will help you-"

"With something, I get the basis of it. Now let's get this thing under way."

**Mountains**

"Dig faster!" Megatron screamed, tossing a trooper out of his way. Mira supervised a small group of diggers separated from where Dreadwing had supervised the rest. She had told him that he was digging in the wrong spot, but he refused to listen. It didn't matter to her, however. She could always rub it in his faceplate later.

"My Lord, I've found something!" Mira announced over to her master. She waited for him to come closer before stepping aside. Megatron smirked at the finding. After hearing that they lost the Star Saber to the Autobots, he felt an overwhelming sense of fear, but not that was going to change.

"Retrieve it for me Mira." He watched Mira remove the relic from the ground and hold it out to him. "The Omni Saber." Megatron took the blade in his hand and found himself disappointed when he found it too heavy to hold himself. "Again, an artifact that can only be used by a prime." He growled and threatened to dispose one of his troopers, but then Mira picked it up once again.

"Then I will merely tap into the spirit of the sword's owner and trick it into activating." She smiled at her master. Nexus Prime was one of the unfortunate primes to be sucked into the anti-matrix. "I simply must tap into it."

**Testing Facility**

"I have to admit, I'm not digging this new transformation of Artemis'." Sam admitted as she sat in an unused chair, watching Ratchet and Artemis work.

"Why?" Jack watched them too, but was leaning against the wall.

"Because Solus makes Artemis talk to herself." What Sam said was true. Artemis talked very loudly to Solus and Solus, taking over her speech function, talked back, sometimes yelling. It was very weird simply watching her. If you didn't know that Artemis was more than one person you'd think she was crazy.

"I'M TELLING YOU THAT WE DON'T HAVE A NUERON COMBUSTOR!" Artemis screamed, jumping from her place on top of the space bridge's frame.

"AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT YOU CAN'T MAKE A SPACE BRIDGE WITHOUT ONE!" Solus screamed back in the same voice with only a slight tint of her own.

"WELL APARENTLY THE DECEPTICONS CAN!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

"IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE!"

Artemis continued screaming at Solus and for a second everyone just couldn't help but to stare for a bit. Optimus tried to help as much as he could, he handed Artemis what she needed and such. Though, he was a little out of sorts with the kind of engineering she was doing.

"Artemis, how are we going to power this thing? We're not exactly swimming in Energon." Arcee stated which caused Artemis to look directly at her.

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" Solus growled and threw a wrench at her.

"Don't worry Arcee, we have a plan." Artemis held down her own arm to keep Solus from throwing anything at Arcee, but the arm reached over and pulled out a container filled with green liquid.

"This stuff seems like a good energy source and green for the environment too." She shook the container letting the green liquid.

"Hey, DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Ratchet screamed getting closer to Artemis, but she extended her arm out to stop him.

"Ah, ah, ah. My Synthen. I read your notes." Solus cradled the container in her one arm.

"That stuff is dangerous!" He went to snatch it from her, but she moved back.

"To Autobots, NOT to machines."

**The Nemesis**

"Tell me Knockout, how do I look?" Mira turned in the mirror at her knew form. The form Nexus Prime provided her was utterly amazing. While she was a bit shorter than her regular form she seemed to be more durable. The Omni Saber, which had rejected to work for her before, now made deadening blows to the troopers she picked for target practice.

"I like how you look in steel-belted radials. _Dirt Kisser." _Knockout mocked her freely as payback for the first day the met. It was true, in gaining the ability to use the Omni Sword she had lost the gift of flight. Despite that, she knew this would outweigh the need for flight any day.

"I now have a greater appreciation for you K.O." Mira mounted the blade on her back, ready to take on the Autobots and their so called Star Saber. It was then Soundwave walked into the room with a list of parts on his visor. "Parts missing from research facilities? Who cares, they're just humans. Probably making a high tech microwave." She waved him off, but he came closer.

"These are a list of parts needed for a space bridge." Knockout deduced after looking closely at the list. Mira stopped modeling in the mirror and thought carefully.

"So, my sister is building the Autobots a space bridge. She must be getting some particular help." She looked at Soundwave who had taken the list of his screen. "She will need a big area to begin construction; she hasn't finished it by now."

"We will begin looking for the appropriate sized mine." Knockout stated, but she shook her head.

"The Autobots have taken hold of no such territory. It would have to be a human resource. Someplace my sister knows it would be big enough." She paused, thinking of such a place.

"A warehouse then?"

"No, a research facility. Soundwave, bring up a list of all the possible locations in which belongs to X-Tech industries." Mira waited and within moments, Soundwave possessed the information. "There." She pointed to a specific one. "The underground facility in Texas."

**Autobot Base**

"I'm so tired." Artemis groaned as Sam handed her a cup of tea. She had a splitting headache. Never had she had someone so talkative transform with her. Solus finally decided to cast herself for her own alone time. Not before Artemis practically collapsed from exhaustion.

"Solus is a work horse, huh?" Sam rubbed Artemis' back and Artemis nodded slightly.

"I GOT IT!" Miko announced which everyone turned to stare. "Solstice Prime!"

"OH! That would be a great name for the new form!" Sam exclaimed. Artemis only nodded because in her heart she knew she had no say in the matter.

"I think you're almost finished with it." Ratchet typed away at his computer, reviewing blueprints. "Simply some things to hook up."

"I'm realized, because I don't think I can take much more of Solus' yelling." Arcee rubbed her head; she must have had a headache too.

"I think my throat is raw." Artemis admitted she was also fed up with Solus' mouth. She saw something on the Optimus' back. "You got a new accessory?"

"Ratchet made it. It's to hold the Star Saber." Rafael handed Artemis a wet cloth to put on her head and she smiled.

"That's great. A great warrior always needs something to hold his blade." The way she said it was somewhat mixed. On one hand, she was glad that he would have less trouble carrying such a sword, but on the other hand a bit of depression on having to use such a blade at all.

"Artemis, are you going to be okay for tomorrow?" Sam expressed the deepest of concern.

"No problem, just as long as I rest now." Artemis admitted with a smile.

"I know! I'll call Wheeljack, he can help." Sam suggested, but Artemis doubted he'd be much help now.

**Testing Facility**

"I think that'll do." Solstice closed the bottom of the control panel then got off the floor. She looked over at Ratchet who was looking at her nervously. "You start it up."

"Why me?" He looked surprised and backed away.

"Solus is superstitious." She shrugged and got behind him. Ratchet went up to the control panel and started it up. It turned on, which was a good sign. He looked over the choices and found one that interested him. He set the coordinates to Cybertron.

"Here goes nothing." He pulled the lever and for a second, there was a moment of silence. Then with the low whirring of the machines and the charging of the Energon, the space bridge opened.

"It works!" Sam exclaimed, raising her hands. Wheeljack smiled at her and allowed her to hug the side of his face.

"Too bad you all won't live long enough to use it." Mira stood holding the Omni Saber in her right servo. "Should have hid it better Artemis!"

"The Omni Saber, MIRA DO YOU KNOW NO BOUNDRIES!" Artemis screamed, switching into her original form. "You've tainted yet another Prime."

"Nexus was just begging for it." Mira exchanged the sword between her hands. "I saw you had a new play mate too."

"Playmate and partner is not the same. You twisted scrap heap." Artemis looked briefly at the Star Saber that was mounted on Optimus' back. It wasn't her place to hold such a blade, but she might have to if Mira confronted her.

"Decepticons!" On cue, Decepticon troopers filed through the entrance and pointed their blasters at them. Megatron, who had remained silent since their arrival, crossed in front of Mira.

"Engage the Autobots!" Megatron finished which started a fire fight.

"Don't touch Artemis! She's mine." Mira added before charging towards the Autobots. Artemis, not willing to take the Star Saber in defense, used her own blades and charged at Mira.

Mira was better now. She moved with precision. Every time Artemis tried to get an edge on her, Mira would turn it against her again. They moved in circles through each other, blaster fire flying through the air. Mira finally put enough pressure on Artemis' blades to snap them off completely.

"Scrap." Artemis backed away, but not before Mira sucker punched her in the jaw. She fell the ground and looked up to see the Omni Saber in her face.

"Wanna see personally what this thing can do?" Mira traced the blade over her sister's face mask, so tempted to just rip through it. But what fun would there be in that? She flinched when she felt the bots shooting at her instead of returning fire to the Decepticon troopers.

"Artemis!" Artemis looked over at Optimus. He threw the Star Saber over to her. It landed right in front of her as she eased herself up after Mira got off her. She hesitated, would it be right to use a weapon meant for a prime. Perhaps she didn't have much choice.

Artemis grabbed the sword and it reacted with a low glow. Mira approached her again, but this time on the defensive. There was no telling what would happen when two weapons of this caliber were pitted against each other. Artemis backed up, closer to the space bridge. Mira followed cautiously.

"Why don't you just come and get me already?" Mira hissed; she never liked playing games. When Artemis didn't respond, she went after her. She hit the sword rapidly, as if she just wanted to see what happens when the two blades collided.

Energy surged around them rapidly. It extended out towards the open space bridge and fused with the synthetic Energon causing the bridge to begin malfunctioning. Mira kept swinging her sword and the access energy kept being absorbed into the space bridge. Ratchet took notice to the alien energy levels and looked into it.

"Optimus." Ratchet said with a shaky voice. "Optimus, the synthetic Energon is absorbing the properties of the energy coming off the swords."

"And that means?" Wheeljack responded before Optimus could have a chance to explain.

"The space bridge is malfunctioning, it's going to blow." Ratchet backed away from the controls. "We need to get out of here."

By the time he said those words, it was too late. Artemis and Mira struck the two Sabers and caused a massive energy spike. They skidded away from each other and recovered from the recoil. The energy, merging with the synthetic Energon, began to react with the Space Bridge. Though, they couldn't have predicted what happened next. The bridge began to accelerate, causing a black hole effect.

Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Arcee managed to cling to the walls in order to stay away from the sucking portal. Optimus, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead all found adequate grips on the ground in which to hang onto. Megatron, after losing many troopers to the bridge, ordered a retreat. He hesitated slightly, only enough to look at Mira then leave. Mira, knowing he was more important to the cause, took no ill feelings towards the abandonment.

Artemis stabbed her sword into the ground. She watched her sister skid towards the bridge fearfully before getting the same idea only feet before the bridge caught her. Ratchet tried to think of a way to stop it, but could only come to the conclusion that it would stop when it ran out of power or short circuited. Artemis knew that the only way it would short circuit would be if it swallowed a huge amount of mass at one time, two bots to be dreadfully exact. Though, to Artemis, this wasn't a death sentence, it was an opportunity.

"Wheeljack!" Artemis screamed over to him.

"Yeah?" Wheeljack held Sam tightly in his grasp.

"Take care of Sam for me."

"WHAT?!" By the time the other reacted, Artemis had already let go of the sword and was running full speed to Mira. She grabbed onto Mira and began pushing her into the portal.

"If I'm going, you're going down with me _dear sister." _Just like that, the two were sucked into the vortex and the bridge let out hissing electricity in protest. Just like Ratchet said, it short circuited. Sam ran over to the charred bridge and cried.

"ARTEMIS!"


	27. Ch 27: Cybertron

The Human Prime

Chapter 27: Cybertron

"What?" Sam asked looking up at the screen.

"I'm still getting a life signal. Artemis is alive; I'm just not sure where the portal sent her off to." Ratchet frowned, looking over the information he gathered. "According to this, she's on Cybertron, but the data I'm getting is nowhere near Cybertron's position."

"So then maybe she was sent into the Shadow Zone, like we were." Jack offered and for a moment Ratchet considered.

"Yeah, but wouldn't have Artemis tried to contact us by now via text message or something?" Miko countered which made everyone nervous.

"Perhaps she is injured." Ratchet final said as he reviewed the information from the malfunction. "If the Space Bridge was still functional, perhaps I could remake the incident, but it's completely fried."

"Then rebuild it!" Sam exclaimed.

"I'm no space bridge technician!" He yelled back.

"Neither was Artemis, but she made one!"

"Artemis had a little help from the ancients. Besides, where are we going to find replacement parts?"

"I'll put in a call to Burgundy." Sam could see Ratchet take a moment to process things. "Please? For Artemis." With that, Ratchet let out a heavy sigh.

"I hope Artemis took many notes. I'll need them to see what was damaged." Ratchet's words put a smile back on Sam's face. Everyone agreed to assist him so that the rebuild would go as quickly as possible. Optimus was completely zoned out. No doubt, despite the incident being nothing of his doing, he was feeling guilty.

**Artemis POV**

I opened my optics slowly. It wasn't the first time I woke up in pain, but boy did my body hurt. I inched slowly, turning and rising to my feet. I supported myself on a wall that I had found myself leaning against. I looked around, my optics still getting used to the light. I found the sun to have just risen in the area. The more I looked around, the more I wondered if I was in my imagination. I waited for Primus or one of the Primes to come from behind and scare me, but no such thing occurred.

"Come on, leave me alone!" I heard the squeaky voice from the street ahead. I stumbled out of the alley, transforming into Phoenix and peeked out. I was shocked to see not humans, but bots. There were no insignias, at least not visible ones, just three bots, two large ones and a smaller one. "Can't you go pick on someone else for a while?"

Without knowing the situation, I approached them with a stern look in my optics. The larger bots felt my presence over their shoulder. They smirked up at me and challenged me, holding up their large arms. I stomped my foot forward, making them flinch.

"I think the bot asked you to leave him alone." I hinted, but it only drew attention to me. They got closer to me and I warned them to not start trouble, but they didn't listen. Finally they came at me with weak punches which I caught effortlessly and tossed them aside, giving each a blow to the head. It was obvious that they weren't fighters.

"Frag this." The first one said before transforming into an odd alternate form and driving off. The second followed when I held up one of my fists.

"Thank you." He smiled at me lightly and I nodded slightly. I looked around again, now out of the darkness of the alley.

"Where am I?" I asked lightly, acting as if I had been incoherent hours previous.

"You're in Iacon." He turned as if finished and began walking away. I extended my servo towards him, attempting for a better answer, but he was gone.

"You're a big one, aren't you?" I looked down at the smaller yet tough looking femme and nodded awkwardly. "Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"I taught myself." I told her hoping that she'd take that as a hint to leave.

"That's pretty decent home schooling. Perhaps we can help each other."

"I'm listening."

"You are obviously not from around here and I happen to be looking for some help of my own. How about we sit down for a drink and get to know each other."

"I don't drink."

"Oh, well, more for me."

We did just that. She got a drink for herself and we sat on a bench that overlooked the lower districts of Iacon. I often just stared at the scenery in which the femme had to constantly bring my attention back to her, but I have never seen anything more beautiful.

"So, what's your name?" She sipped the drink rather loudly, making me wince at the rudeness.

"My name…my name."

"Oh, I get it! You don't have a name." She said before letting me answer. It was true that many Cybertronians lived their life on Cybertron without earning themselves a name. I rolled with it, not wanting to give her my name, any of them, just yet.

"Do you have a name?" I asked trying to shift the attention.

"SoulSeeker." SoulSeeker smiled at me and took a sip of her drink again. I didn't remember any bot with that name; neither do I remember her face in my memories. I nodded only in recognition.

"Excuse me I'm a bit confused of my surroundings. Can you tell me any current events?" I listened as she listed a few keys event that had been happening on Cybertron the past few cycles. I finally deduced that I was in a different time, sometime just before the war began.

"What caste are you in?" She asked and I paused for a moment. I remember that before the war, Cybertron was under a caste system. A social ladder and the moment you emerged from the Well of Allsparks you were placed into one, and you would remain there till the end. I tried to remember the different castes and wondered what would be most believable for my body type. "Never mind, it was rude for me to ask." I finally decided that I would have to tell her the truth.

"I don't have a caste, mainly because I never emerged from the Well of Allsparks." I waited for her to attempt at digesting that information before continuing. "I am not of this world, most likely I am from the distant DISTANT future."

"Good, because I was about to think I'd gone crazy." Soulseeker said after a long pause.

"Excuse me?"

"I saw you fall from the sky. I wanted to see how long it would take until you told me something nuts, but I believe you. A bot with no caste and no name might as well be scrap in the pits." She placed the empty can in the space next to us. "I think you better go see the Archivist."

"The Archivist…you mean Alpha Trion?" I had always wondered what it would be like to talk to him. Try as I might, I could never find any essence of his being within the piece of the matrix I had absorbed.

"Yeah, him, he's in the Hall of Records. If anyone can help you he can." I nodded and thanked Primus for meeting someone so helpful when arriving here.

"You said you needed help." I saw her face turn dark as she nodded.

"I'm in a bit of trouble. I got into it with some bad bots and now I need to find a bot that can fight."

"That's why you needed my help, to beat up some bots?" It all sounded so childish.

"No, you see. I, too, don't belong to a caste. That's because I'm a trainer."

"A trainer for what?"

"For Gladiators." The words hit me like a bomb shell. Gladiator fights were against the law, in face, Megatron was a gladiator. She was a trainer of gladiators. Was she any better than Megatron? "The bosses of the ring down in the pits of Iacon want me to produce a new Gladiator for them. Unfortunately, all the bots I produce seem to bit me in the aft and stop listening to me. When they end up dying, they snap at me to get them new material. They want me to produce a winner."

"You want me to be your Gladiator." I finished her thought, but I held no interest in fighting for the pleasure of spectators.

"I wanted to find a bot that had a pure spark. Please, I want to give Iacon a hero, not just a Gladiator." I had to admit, those words touched me. Perhaps becoming a Gladiator would produce positive results. However, I had to look into my situation before making any long term plans.

"Let me think about it. First, I better go speak to Alpha Trion." I stood up to start heading towards the Hall of Records, whose form could be seen from anywhere in Iacon.

"Here," She handed me a plate which looked similar to earth's business cards. "That's where I stay. When you want to find me, go there. Okay?"

"Thank you."

"No, thank you. Be safe alright?" She left me with those words. She was definitely better than Megatron. I made my way through the streets of Iacon, making an unusual amount of eye contact. I wanted to remember walking through these streets and bore everything into my memory.

Half way to the Hall of Records, I found my Phoenix form to be rather eye catching. I found many glares and scowls in my direction. I must have looked like a lowly worker. I found an alley secluded enough to change back into my original form before pressing on. That form caused far less attention.

When I finally got to the Hall of Records, I found a new obstacle before me. Guards posted outside the doors, keeping anyone who wasn't supposed to be there out. The Hall of Records was a very important place, not just anyone could go in. Though, I had to try. I walked up to the building as casual as possible. Unfortunately, that didn't fly.

"Where do you think you're going?" The guards huddled around the door. I stopped briefly before responding.

"Inside, I must speak to the Archivist."

"We were uninformed of your audience with him."

"Perhaps he forgot to mention me. No matter just let me in and I will be sure he explains the situation later." I tried to go past them but they pushed me back.

"You don't get it. You're not getting past us until we get word from the Archivist." One of them was talking specifically to me the whole time. I tried and counter offer, but they remained firm.

"Now, now, WarHammer, you shouldn't be so mean to my new clerk." I felt a hand fall on my shoulder and I dared not turn my head to see who it was.

"Oh, sir, I didn't know."

"From now on, remember that this is my personal clerk. Please do be nice to her will you." I felt the bot push me lightly towards the door. I walked robotically passed the guards and through the doors. Only when I heard the doors close did I turn to see who it was.

"Alpha Trion." I muttered breathlessly. He was tall, probably a bit taller than Megatron. He was older looking, a metallic beard on his face showing his age and wisdom.

"You've found yourself in a bit of trouble. Haven't you Artemis?" The Archivist extended an arm for me to take.

"How do you know my name?"

"As I'm sure you probably know I hold a valuable artifact known as the Covenant of Primus. It predicted your arrival here and told me you would come to seek my help."

"Even across time the Covenant can tell what will be." I was in awe by the power which Alpha Trion held so effortlessly in his hands. As we got to his study, I sat down in a chair across the table and listened as he spoke to me.

"While you may believe that you have traveled across time, you have actually traveled to a new dimension in which simply time moves slower." He explained to me as if reading it right from the Covenant.

"So I'm in a new dimension where things that have happened to me, haven't happened yet."

"Precisely."

"So here's the big question, how do I get home?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps you were brought here because there is something you were meant to do. Something you were meant to change in this world. I am sorry; I can't read that far into the Covenant."

"I understand. I only have one more question. Do you know if my sister is here as well?" If she was here, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before she caused trouble.

"No, only your arrival was foretold." I could help but sigh in relief when I realized she wasn't with me. "Until you can return, you are free to work here as a clerk to keep you out of trouble." He understood the wrongs of the caste system. He knew if I wondered the streets without one that I would be scooped up for the scrap heap.

"Thank you Archivist." I said respectfully.

"I will call someone down to teach you your duties. After that is through, you are free to spend the rest of your day as you wish."

"May I return here if I need to speak with me?"

"Your audience is always welcome, Artemis."

I waited near the window outside Alpha Trion's study. I couldn't stop wondering how surreal it all was. I always wished that I could have walked the streets of Cybertron in its Golden Age. Now, here I was, looking out at it and preparing to work in the Hall of Records.

"Artemis," I snapped out of my daze and turned towards Alpha Trion's voice. My jaw almost dropped when I saw who he picked to assist me. "This is Orion Pax. He will assist you." Optimus once told me of his teacher's eccentric humor. Now I knew what he meant.

"Pleased to meet you." I gulped uneasily and extended my hands towards him.

"Likewise." His voice was not unlike Optimus. However, instead of a confident more leadership tone, his voice chimed more innocently, something pure, gentle and shy. Our hands stayed clasped together until Alpha Trion made his presence known. We dropped our hands sheepishly.

"I've made arrangements that you're work stations will be next to one another. So if you have any questions feel free to address of Orion."

"Thank you Archivist." I nodded my head in a bowing like motion and then drew my attention back to Orion. I followed him to the eighteenth floor then to the northwest corner. His station was the third from the corner, mine was second. The first station, he told me, had been empty for a rather long time, but he said he didn't mind the lack of company.

"Your colleges must envy you, being so close to the window." I looked out the window and peered out at the Iacon that was now drenched with golden sunlight.

"No, many of them wish to be as far from it as possible."

"That explains why no one's in the first station."

"Now, what we do hear is we read then categorize, catalog, store, index, and cross-index accordingly." He paused as if thinking of something important. "We are forbidden to analyze." Those words came out almost bitterly.

"Well that's foolish." I said without thinking. I was frozen for a moment and looked at him briefly then continued. "How do they expect us to index if we don't analyze the information first?"

"I try not to ask myself questions that don't have answers I can do anything about." He said as if warning me that perhaps I should so the same.

"I analyzed that you said try. Then perhaps you have asked yourself the same question many times and have failed at keeping it away." I stopped when I found his face filled with confusion. "Show me how you do it."

We stood in front of the Data Net, his fingers worked furiously over stacks of information that he end categorized. I watched him and the more I did so, the more I was amazed. It was in these moments of silence that a thought had popped into my head. I had always wanted to know Optimus at a personal level. Know what was underneath the mask that he was forced to wear because he was the leader. Perhaps what personal feelings, dreams, and fears he held in himself was held more openly in Orion Pax.

I decided that instead of fearing the predicament Alpha Trion had put me into, I would embrace it. I would befriend Orion Pax and open myself up to him in hopes that perhaps he will one day open up to me. He paused from his work to look at me.

"Is there something on my faceplate?" He said and I realized I was smiling.

"I like watching you work." I said truthfully. He seemed to look away shyly as if a little embarrassed about how good he was at his job.

The next few cycles I spent my time in my own station. I struggled with the language and codes and had to refresh myself on some things, but for the most part I did well. I could hear voices coming from Orion's station in which I hesitantly peeked over. He was watching a gladiator match. I was horrified when I realized who's it was.

Megatron, known in these times as Megatronus, stood in the ring preaching after his victory. I came over to his station and watched over his shoulder. The way Megatronus chose his words it was no wonder so many people followed him. Not to mention being a key source of entertainment allows a lot of doors to open, more doors than someone in the position like Orion and I are.

"Who's that?" I finally said. Orion scrambled to get out of the stream, but I stopped his hand. "He's a gladiator right?"

"Yeah." He said guiltily, thinking perhaps I'd turn him in.

"His words are something else." When I said those words, he loosened up. He looked back at the paused feed and nodded.

"I must admit. The way he speaks of freedom. I'm not sure what to make of it."

"Well, we all deserve a say in our lives, especially when they involve what we do with them." I could see the gears in his head turning. I wondered if perhaps I should try and steer him away from Megatronus. Though, if I did, shouldn't he have someone to keep that fire that's lit in his spark alive? The ideas of Megatronus are pure, his intentions however are not. "I better get going."

"Right, I'll see you next cycle."

"Of course."

I walked through the streets of Iacon afterwards. Even after getting directions from Alpha Trion, I still needed to stop several times for more direction. By now, I had turned into Phoenix and was drawing near to my destination. I knocked on the door in front of me and waited for an answer. She opened the door soon afterward in which I talked abruptly.

"Alright."

"Huh?" SoulSeeker looked a little confused so I elaborated.

"I'll be your Gladiator." She smiled at me slightly. While I felt extremely dirty as if committing a sin, I knew that this was something I had to do.


	28. Ch 28: Past

The Human Prime

Chapter 28: Past

Ratchet pours Synthen into that Space Bridge's generator. In rumbled slightly, but in turn started up accordingly. He walked over to the control panel and found it to be up and running. He opened the bridge and round the portal to be sufficient. Now, all there was left to do was to recreate the feedback loop that caused this mess.

Optimus held the Star Saber in his hand. ShadowVolt held the heavy Omni Saber in his. They tried once, twice, three times, nothing. ShadowVolt was no Prime. He would not be able to access its power in order to create the feedback loop. Optimus could not hold both swords and collide them with the necessary force, another dead end.

"What if we use them separately?" Sam suggested.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet looked back at the human who was sitting on Wheeljack's shoulder.

"Like when you wanna make the perfect cup of coffee. You put in the milk and then the sugar, and then adjust. Maybe we can put in the energy from the Star Saber, then the energy from the Omni Sword, and then adjust them so their levels are equal. Maybe it'll work the same way."

Despite Ratchet's disbelief, they didn't have any other options. ShadowVolt and Bulkhead held up the opposing sword sideways in front of the portal while Optimus held the other sword offensively. Optimus hammered the sword against the other and as the energy got pulled into the Space Bridge, he paused then switched swords. Unbelievably, the space bridge began to react towards the energy.

"It's working. It's going hay wire again." Sam said over the loud noise of the Space Bridge.

"Okay, listen. ShadowVolt, when we enter the vortex, I need you to disconnect the power right away. That will keep it from burning up like the last time. We are not sure if we'll establish contact so open the bridge up again if we do not return within the hour. The bridge should record our destination." Ratchet said turning towards the others who began to gather around the open bridge.

"Wheeljack, Bumblebee, and I will stay behind in case the Decepticons return." ShadowVolt nodded then turned to Wheeljack. "You got my back Wrecker."

"I wanna go too!" Sam announced as she slid her way off Wheeljack's hand to run up to Optimus.

"Sam its way too dangerous." Arcee said standing in front of her.

"I have Artemis' E.P suit and everything. Please! You gotta let me come. She's like my sister." She paused seeing no change in their decision. "I'll follow you if you won't let me go."

Everyone knew that Wheeljack was too much of a push over to stop her from doing what she wanted. ShadowVolt saw no problem in Sam going with them. Bumblebee probably couldn't even stop Sam if he wanted to.

"Fine." Arcee huffed annoyingly.

"YES!" Sam ran over to Bulkhead and let him pick her up to put her on his shoulder.

"Bring Artemis back now, you hear?!" ShadowVolt held onto the wall as the vortex began to suck in the bots. The team walked in willingly and flinched as the vortex began to take them to their destination.

**Autobot POV**

Optimus groaned when he stirred from his unconsciousness. He looked around and found himself in a dessert. He deduced that it was still Nevada. He felt disappointed. It didn't work. He stood up and held his head. His whole body in fact hurt like something he's never felt before.

"You guys should look at yourselves." Sam said and he looked over at her cautiously. She was bigger than before. He didn't tower over her like normal, unless they got smaller. He looked around at his other Autobots. No, it was much more than that. They were all human.

"How did this happen?" Optimus asked his old friend. Ratchet looked at himself in disgust. They all looked like young adults at best. Drexel though looked a bit younger, around Sam's age. Still, it wasn't right.

"Could have been a malfunction in the control panel, regardless, we are not where we should be." Ratchet brushed the dust from his red and white jacket.

"I thought you guys would look older." Sam admitted, looking around at them.

"It would stand to reason that this dimension, along with turning us human, had turned back the clock in order to allow us to look particularly normal."

"I think I see a town nearby." Bulkhead said pointing over to the buildings in the distance.

"We need to inquire where we are." Optimus said as he moved his team towards the town. After further investigation, they found it was Nevada, but the odd buildings and construction suggested they were far in the past.

"Wait a second. I know that girl." Sam pointed over to a little blond girl who stood at the cross walk.

"Who is it?" Bulkhead looked over and saw some puzzling similarities.

"That's ME!" Sam ran across the street even though Optimus suggested otherwise. She walked right up to herself and bent down to her level. "Where you headed?" The little girl didn't respond, only stared. Sam realized why and coughed as a signal to start again. "I'm Sam."

"Hey, my name is Sam too!" Her younger self said excitingly.

"So where you headed?"

"To the library, I'm supposed to meet my mom there." The others finally caught up to Sam and stood behind her.

"Who your mom?"

"Oh, she's not really my mom, but she told me if anyone asked that I say that she's my mom." Sam chuckled at her younger self. She didn't realize how dim witted she was as a kid.

"Can we take you to her?" Sam offered without permission. Ratchet was about to protest, but the younger Sam already nodded in agreement.

"Who are they?"

"Well, um. This is Bulk, Arcee, Drexel, Ratchet, and Optimus." Sam said while pointing out each one.

"Hehe, you have funny names." The younger Sam laughed before taking her older self's hand. They walked in silence for a while making things a bit awkward, but finally Ratchet leaned close to Sam's ear to whisper.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"If anyone can help us get out of this mess, Artemis can. Present or Past. Besides, don't you wanna see what Artemis looked like when she was younger?" The thought hadn't occurred to them. In fact, they did want to see what Artemis was like as a kid.

When they got to the library, they stood in the lobby for a while. It took longer than expected for Minnie too tell them where Artemis was. After she did however, they made their way to the back rooms where she said she'd be. The back room was large and riddled with broken machinery and boxes of unsorted books. The younger Sam stepped forward and called out Artemis' name. They heard the sound of crashing metal then a yelp.

"Ow." The young Artemis emerged from behind a stack of machines. She looked utterly exhausted. Her cheek bearing a black smudge and her hands looked riddled with paper cuts. "You're here early."

"I didn't get lost this time." The young Sam ran over and hugged Artemis at her middle.

"Who are your friends Sam?" Artemis looked weary and stern. They could almost feel the coldness radiating off her.

"They helped me get hear. That's Sam, Bulk, Ratchet, Arcee, Optimus, and Drexel." She pointed out effortlessly. "Can they stay Artemis?"

"I guess so, just as long as you guys don't mind working." Artemis hinted in which they all smiled. Good old Artemis putting them to work.

They sat in silence for a while. Artemis gave them piles of books to mark, except for Ratchet. She gave him a fan to fix. They all sat and did work as instructed, too frightened to bring up anything. Finally, Sam spoke.

"What you do hear?" She asked even though she knew the answer.

"I catalog the books, repair broken machinery people bring in, and I home school Sam." Artemis answered, pausing her work on a microwave.

"Must be hard," Ratchet said suddenly. "Doing all this by yourself."

"Not as much as you'd think. I like to do it. It's like…my gift." She said not knowing that they knew exactly what she meant. She put her screwdriver down and began stacking books to bring out to the shelves.

"Let me help you." Optimus offered as he picked up the bulk of the books and headed out with her.

"You didn't have to take so many." She said as she took some off the pile he was caring and put them on the shelf accordingly. "But thank you." She finally said, looking away from him.

"You must read a lot." He said not knowing what else he could possibly say.

"Not much to do, but read." She looked at the book in her hand before putting it on the shelf. "It's just the way our world was made. The weak suffer through, the strong get it easy."

"You're not suggesting-"

"That our government is totally screwed up? That's exactly what I'm suggesting." Artemis slammed a book into its place on the shelf so hard that books around it fell to the floor. "The best the government could think of doing for people like Sam and I is put is in some lowly children's home. They would have called them work houses if the title wasn't illegal."

Artemis sighed when she realized what she did to the books. She bent down and started picking them up. Optimus soon helped her and replaced the books on the shelf. She looked at him for a long time then looked down.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be venting this to you." Artemis took the last book from the pile and went down the aisle.

"I don't mind." Optimus called after her. "You can't discuss such topics with me if that's what you want." She stared at him again then waved the book.

"Do you read a lot too?"

**Back Room**

"I still can't believe Artemis could do complicated engineering at such a young age." Sam held a red wire to her face and stared at it, not knowing where it would go.

"She has probably had many conversations with Primus which allowed her to do so." Ratchet flinched when he burnt his hand. "Curse this sensitive flesh!"

"Are you going to come home with us?" The younger Sam made them all jump. They forgot she was there. "Do you have a place to go?"

"No." Sam was the first to admit.

"Then you can come with us." The young Sam smiled and went back to her reading.

"Cute." Arcee said with a chuckle. Sam couldn't help, but blush.

"Shuuutt uuppp!" Sam groaned and stuck her face in a book.

"We still don't know how we're going to get out of here." Ratchet sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Well we don't have to hurry, do we?" Bulkhead frowned as he put down a toaster.

"You like being like this?"

"Well it's not great, but yeah. I kinda like being able to walk around. I just wish Miko was around." Bulkhead frowned thinking how great it would have been to hang out with his partner as a human.

Drexel, who was incapable of speak, used hand signs to tell them that he to liked being human. It must have been better for him. At least he had a face, even if he couldn't speak. He sat rather close to Arcee, enjoying the time away from the meddling ShadowVolt.

"Okay Sam, let's go home." Artemis said when she walked into the room.

"They can come too right? They don't have a place to stay." The younger Sam looked up at the group sitting at the table next to her.

"If they don't have a place to stay," She paused and looked at them all. "Then they are welcome to stay with us."

"Yay!"

**Airplane Hanger**

"I remember this place being a lot bigger." Sam said as she did a circle around the hanger.

"I remember this place being a lot smaller." Bulkhead said doing the same.

"I only have one mattress, but you're free to all the bean bags, blankets, pillows, and crates." Artemis put down the younger Sam from where she was on her shoulders.

"What's for dinner?" The younger Sam mentions and with those words, Artemis' face turned dark. In all honesty, she hadn't thought about it. They didn't have much and she just invited more people to stay with them. Though, she wouldn't allow any of them to know that.

"Bread and canned soup." Artemis smiled as she looked over at the shelf of canned products. She'd have enough to feed a group of eight. "I'll go start it. Why don't you make our guests comfortable, Sam?"

The young Sam pulled Optimus and Arcee towards the circle of chairs. There were old used books stacked next to a rocking chair which looked like it could go any second. Bulkhead and Sam shared a large beanbag, Drexel found a crated to sit Indian style on, Arcee sat in a smaller bean bag with delight on how comfortable it was, and both Ratchet and Optimus found sturdy chairs to sit in.

The young Sam cuddled behind Arcee surprisingly. Arcee struggled with the position. She seemed to take a liking to her. She began to play with Arcee's hair, putting it in sideways pig tails. Everyone giggled at her, even Ratchet, at how candy sweet it was. Optimus was busy watching Artemis cook. He seemed very worried.

"So, Sam, how old are you?" Arcee said in between yanks of her hair.

"Six n a half." The younger Sam finished with Arcee's hair and cuddled in Bulkhead's lap.

"How old is Artemis?"

"She's going to be nine tomorrow. Though, she doesn't like to celebrate her birthday." When she heard her younger self say those words, Sam snapped. She looked over at Artemis and then at the younger Sam. She couldn't remember ever celebrating Artemis' birthday. In fact, she couldn't remember ever thanking Artemis for anything she did for her.

"Dinner's ready." Artemis placed a soup pot in the middle of the group and put bowls down on the table. They each took bowls from as she served them and then each took a small slice of bread. Sam ate in silence. The soup was terrible, she remembered it. Though, she also remembered that it was one of the only things they could afford.

"Artemis! Artemis! Look!" The younger Sam gulped down her soup as quickly as possible. "New record!" Everyone laughed that the younger Sam, Artemis taking the most amusement from it.

Even though they were enjoying themselves, the team ate their food in guilt. They knew she didn't have much and they ate it willfully. Artemis, such a kind heart, gave them a roof and food even though she barely had enough to support Sam and herself. Midway through eating, they realized that while they continued to eat, she sat content. Her bowl empty and her stomach growling, yet she never reached for seconds.

"I'm full." The younger Sam smiled as she sat on the same bean bag as Bulkhead and the older Sam and sprawled out across them. Artemis looked at the watch on her wrist.

"Good cause its bed time." Artemis rocked in her chair, allowing it to sooth her.

"Story first."

"I doubt that these guys want to hear a bed time story."

"Pleaaasseee!"

"Go on Artemis." Sam said before Artemis could decline. "We'd all like to hear one. Right guys?" The others nodded, following her lead.

"Well…okay." Artemis rocked in the chair for a second, thinking of a good story. "What do you wanna hear about?"

"Do the one about the general."

"Haha, but that's my favorite one." Artemis could see the younger Sam was being kind, allowing her to tell one of her favorite stories. "Alright." She paused for only a moment before beginning the story. "Far away, on a planet called Cybertron," As she began, the others began to become intensely interested. How would she tell their history? "A war waged between the forces of good and evil."

"The Autobots and the Decepticons!" The younger Sam screamed excitingly.

"The Autobots had a courageous leader, whose soul was purer than anyone else's." Artemis waited for the Younger Sam to finish her sentence.

"Optimus Prime."

"He wanted nothing more than to have peace in his home world again and there was only one thing standing in his way."

"The evil Decepticon leader, Megatron!"

"Optimus Prime and Megatron had many battles, each one shifting the balance of power. Until one day, their paths collided once again."

"The last battle which would decide the fate of Cybertron!"

"They fought like no bot had fought before, each one not letting up; not wanting to give up until the other fell for the last time."

"And Optimus Prime won, right Artemis?" Artemis' face was saddened. She looked at the eager young Sam and then smiled again.

"Yeah, he won." She watched her jumped up in victory and turn towards the others.

"You should hear the one about the Wreckers. They were so cool!"

"Bedtime." Artemis repeated.

"But-"

"I gave you a bedtime story, now bed." Artemis said again. The young Sam scowled, but then nodded. She gave each of them a hug then waved them good night.

"Why do you look so sad?" Sam looked at Artemis face.

"I just wish." Artemis paused then looked down. "I just wish that the ending of that story wasn't a lie."

**Outside**

Optimus stood outside long after his team fell fast asleep. He wished the same as Artemis. He wished that the final battle of Cybertron had turned in his favor. Now, who knows if Cybertron would be inhabitable again. He heard footsteps and looked over his shoulder. Sam walked out to him with a sad face.

"Optimus, can you come with me somewhere?" She paused slightly. "I wanna do something for Artemis. For her birthday."

**Airplane Hanger**

Artemis woke up abruptly, hearing the younger Sam screaming about something. She walked out slowly, rubbing her eyes. What she saw was amazing. Food, tons of it, piled on the table. Sam was chewing on a breakfast muffin next to her older self. Artemis' mouth was wide open as she walked closer to it. They all turned toward her and smiled. Sam walked over to her and brought her into a hug.

"Happy Birthday Artemis." Sam said almost tearfully. "Thank you, for everything." Artemis didn't say anything at first, and then talked softly.

"It was only soup." She said and could feel Sam laugh slightly. They all sat down and enjoyed the morning together.

"Guys, come here." Bulkhead said with a whisper. They all went outside and found a large portal waiting for them.

"We better go." Ratchet admitted, looking back at Artemis and the younger Sam.

"At least, I got a chance to thank her." Sam said as she cleared away her tears. They all filed into the portal, Optimus going through last.

"I'll see you around, Optimus Prime." Optimus turned to see Artemis leaning against the hanger, smiling at him. She knew the whole time. The portal soon engulfed him, but not before she could see the light smile on his face.


	29. Ch 29: Iacon's Champion

The Human Prime

Chapter 29: Iacon's Champion

Sam sat up and groaned. She couldn't never grasp why it had to be so painful. She looked around and found the bots back to normal. She crawled over to Bulkhead and began to shake him. She stopped when she saw her hands were grey. She looked down at the rest of her body and found only metal.

"OH MY GOSH!" She screamed and the bots, one by one, shot up to see what she was screaming about. "I've been Cybertronianized!" She made a small turn so they all could see.

"'Lookin' good.'" Drexel vocalized.

"Thank you, thank you." Sam said with a smile.

"Now where are we?" Arcee got up and looked around. It all looked so familiar.

"According to my sensors, we're on Cybertron." Ratchet looked around and found things so different. "We must be in another dimension."

"Or in a different time and place of the old one." Sam said making things a bit more complicated then they needed to be.

"Nevertheless, Artemis might be here." He said which made everyone a bit more aware.

"So where do we start looking?" Bulkhead shrugged and tried to spot the nearest city.

"Where would be the first place Artemis would go in a revitalized Cybertron?" She hinted. Everyone opened their mouths at once.

"Iacon." They all said at the same time.

"Well then let's get going." Sam started, but Ratchet grabbed her shoulder.

"Ah, ah, ah. We can't just waltz into Iacon." He expressed and the others nodded.

"Why not?"

"In order to travel between cities one must inquire travel passes." Optimus explained. "Since we have no form of identification of being from any city, we will need to be cautious in sneaking into the city." He said almost depressingly. He never thought he'd ever have to sneak into his own home.

They transformed and got moving. Sam rode behind Optimus due to not having an alternate form and being particularly too small to simply scan any of them. As they approached Iacon, they slowed down in order to detect any guards. Once they were close enough to hear the rumbling of the city, they transformed and eased themselves into the crowd. Everything seemed to be going to plan, no one paid any mind to them and no one knew they weren't from around there.

"Now where should we look?" Sam frowned up at Optimus. The city was much bigger than she expected.

"I say we check to see if she's the one in jail." Arcee said over the rumble of the ground.

"Good plan, but how do we do that without getting exposed ourselves?" Bulkhead countered and everyone seemed disappointed. Sam looked up a little and saw a familiar face.

"Hey, that's QuickStep." Sam pointed her out and it was indeed Quickstep. The femme turned to see Sam pointing at her and then stuck out her glossa. "Why that little." Quickstep wagged her aft tauntingly which caused Sam to snap. "That's it!"

"Sam no!" Optimus yelled, but she had already taken off after Quickstep. She practically plowed through the crowd. She chased the femme down the street into an alley way. She was completely surprised when Quickstep jumped high into the air and over the wall the separated the alley from the street on the other side.

"Darn it!" Sam frowned, looking at the sky where Quickstep once was. Optimus and the others finally caught up to her and scolded her for the outburst.

"We're under cover! You can't just storm through the streets chasing every bot that disrespects you." Ratchet said between venting.

"But it was QuickStep!"

"It doesn't matter who it was, you gotta think!"

"Sorry." Sam frowned.

"Aw, isn't that touching?" Everyone turned to find a large blue bot and a smaller grey seeker standing in the only way out of the alley. "Too bad sorry can't fix the mess you made."

"Scrap." Arcee said as the blue bot took out stasis cuffs.

"Do us a favor and don't struggle too much, okay?"

**Jail**

"Well this sucks." Sam whimpered and cuddled against Bulkhead. It was very dark and the only source of light was their glowing optics that lit up their faces.

"Well, at least we know for sure that Artemis isn't here." Bulkhead said trying to lighten up the mood.

"How are we supposed to get out of this one?" Arcee sighed and sat against the wall. Optimus, who stood right next to her, remained silent. He was either stumped or was thinking of a plan.

Suddenly the lights turned on, making them all wince. The grey seeker who helped bring them into custody opened the gate and stepped aside. He explained that someone important had bailed them out. They eased themselves up into the decorated lobby. Optimus gasped when he saw who exactly bailed them out.

Alpha Trion stood in front of them, watching them file into the lobby. The grey seeker spoke with him briefly before going back into the cellar. There was an awkward silence that hung in the air between them.

"Are you the Autobots?" Alpha Trion asked blankly. They all nodded dumbly. "Good." Then they saw a bot come out from behind him.

"Artemis!" Sam said and tackled her joyfully.

"Sam? You look…different." Artemis smiled, holding her frame closely.

"We've been looking everywhere for you! We-"

"Shh." Artemis said sternly and looked around. "Not here." She gently took Sam's hand and then followed Alpha Trion out of the building. The others followed as well, eager to hear where she had been the entire time.

They walked through the streets without talking. Artemis followed Alpha Trion while still holding tightly to Sam's servo. They entered the Hall of Records and soon after Alpha Trion's study. Finally did Artemis allow Sam hug her close and make a big fuss. Finally did she allow them to answer questions.

"Is this where you've been this whole time?" Sam looked around the study and found it utterly boring.

"Alpha Trion knew I would arrive here. He offered me work to keep me out of jail." Artemis hinted at the jail part merely for irony.

"Archivist, how did you know of our arrival in this dimension?" Optimus said. He seemed to enjoy speaking with his old teacher.

"The Covenant of Primus, it predicted more visitors."

"And I deduced that you would be those visitors." Artemis added.

"How long have you been here?" Ratchet interrupted, looking directly at Artemis.

"I think I've been here a few weeks maybe. I don't know. It's easy to lose track of time here." She rubbed the back of her helm, trying to remember exactly how long.

"Don't you have work to do?" Alpha Trion interrupted, not even looking at her.

"Of course Archivist, I'll get back to it then." Artemis looked to the others. "Stay out of trouble till day's end, okay?" She left rather rushed, oddly eager to get back to work.

"So Artemis is a clerk here now! So cool." Sam said, practically mumbling in excitement.

"I was worried, not knowing her skills I wondered if she would struggle. However, she had indeed thrived in such an environment. She seems to enjoy the work." Alpha looked over to the group and held his stylus to his chin. "You all will also need an alibi."

"You mean we're going to have to work?!" She complained, but noticed him writing something down.

"Not necessarily. Since Artemis is registered as a monitor here. I can put you all in as her guest in the city." He proceeded with the plan and within moments they were all registered.

"Does that mean we can walk around the city now?"

"Unless you want to stay here in this dusty room." He could see the joy in Sam's optics. She wanted to explore so badly.

"We need to wait for Artemis, remember?" Arcee reminded her.

"Do you know where Artemis has been staying?" Optimus wondered deeply about how she's been living on Cybertron.

"No, I do not. Though, I do know she has a place." Alpha Trion turned to Optimus and looked at him for a long time. "Tell me, how long it has been since you've walked these halls?" You couldn't get anything past the master archivist.

"Many eons, my old teacher."

"Ah."

**Artemis POV**

I worked quickly, knowing that if I got done with what load was assigned to me today I could get out that much sooner to take the gang home. Well, to where I have been living the past few days. I found myself making mistakes in which I finally allowed myself to slow down. The work was no difficult, but it was very hard not to analyze what I was reading. I was indeed troubled by some of the entries. It gave an explanation to why Cybertron broke out into war.

"Struggling?" Orion's voice came out of nowhere. I flinched and looked over my shoulder. I could tell him what I thought because I knew he felt the same way.

"I never knew how unbalanced it all was." I practically whispered and looked back to the article. It was something about the factory workers, many were killed and yet the article was so brief and so insensitive. It gave no hint of anything that would cause strong feeling or question.

"Many do not." His voice was low too. It was all so bitter. "Artemis, can I show you something? Well, somewhere, after work?"

"Oh, well." I bit my lip. I was supposed to go down and take the others home after work. However, the opportunity to go anywhere with Orion Pax was too precious to pass up. "Sure, where are we going?"

"It's a secret; I'll explain it to you later."

As he said, we went right after work. Both of us finished early so I figured I could get back before the others would even realize I was gone. I followed him through the crowds of people which were somewhat in a hurry to get somewhere, I could only guess where. It was getting to be a challenge to keep up with him, so he stopped briefly and grabbed my servo.

With our hands linked we traveled a lot faster. The way he weaved through the crowd meant he knew exactly where he was going. We finally slowed down and he let go of my hand. We climbed up stairs and he still wouldn't hint about where we were. Finally, I entered a room so beautiful.

"It's the observation deck. Not many people come up here anymore, so I find it a great place to think. I usually come up here alone." He said it in a way that made me feel so special. He's sharing this place with me. How sweet.

"You can see everything from here." I looked over the horizons, even past Iacon. I looked to the North and could see bright colorful lights. "What's that?"

"That's Six Lasers over Cybertron." Orion looked at the lights with longing. I remember Primus telling me about Six Lasers. It was the greatest amusement park in the universe. The Plasma Curve, one of the parks key rides, went so fast it would cause even the strongest to become dizzy and delirious. Though, it was only open freely to higher caste members. Not to bots as lowly as clerks and factory workers. The only way a middle or low caste member could pass through its gates was by special invitation. "I want to go to Six Lasers."

It was a foolish dream. At least that would be what any other bot would say. Wishing to go to Six Lasers was merely a wasted wish, for it was something that would probably never come true. Though, I was no such bot. I heard Orion's dream and thought it as precious as Energon.

"I'll take you someday." I barely squeaked out.

"How? You are the same caste as me. You're chances are as good as mine." Orion was quick to bury what hope I gave him, but did not allow him to deny it.

"I'll find a way." I looked at his face and saw the disbelief. "Alright, promise me if I do find a way that you'll go."

"That's if."

"Well?"

"I promise." He finally yielded. I smiled and looked up at the sky. Scrap, it was getting dark.

**Alpha's Study**

"Sorry I'm late, more work than I thought." Artemis looked upon their faces and found them to be relieved that they could leave now. She looked at Alpha Trion, silently begging him not to mention anything about how she was lying. He didn't.

"So where are we going?" Sam insisted, already grabbing hold of her hand.

"To where I've been staying the past few days." Artemis led them out the door. "Thank you Archivist." She waited for him to nod before leaving. Walking down the street was a nightmare with Sam at her side. She stopped and pointed out every detail with awe and made it very difficult to blend.

When they finally got to a large, very fancy looking building, everyone was staring at them. Artemis pushed her into the elevator and let the others follow before getting in herself. She gave Sam a very stern look, but softened when she saw how much fun she was having. They managed to get through the hall without bugging the others that were in the rooms. Artemis knocked on the door twice.

"What's that for?" Bulkhead pointed to the bag in her hand.

"You'll see." Artemis didn't have to wait long for SoulSeeker to open the door.

"Who are they?"

"These are my friends. The one's I told you about, from where I'm from."

"Oooh, know. I'm not running a home for dimension travelers!" Soulseeker snapped, but Artemis merely took out the can of Visco from the bag to silence her. "Welcome to SoulSeeker's home for lost sparks." She walked away from the door. "Oh, you got the good kind."

"That was, weird." Sam whispered to Bulkhead as they entered the home. When they got inside, they weren't sure why SoulSeeker was complaining. There were many empty rooms and plenty of space, PLENTY.

"You're not thinking of skipping out on the show tonight, are you Artemis?" Soulseeker flopped into a seat and stared at her roommate.

"Not now Soul." Artemis said sternly.

"Show? Are you a singer too?" Sam smiled up at Artemis, but Artemis shook her head.

"Oh, she hasn't told you." Soulseeker smirked and tilted her head.

"Yes, Soul, I'm going. Now shut up!" Artemis snapped.

"Well I guess I'll have to get you guys' front row seats." Soulseeker smiled and Artemis finally just sat into a chair in defeat.

"Awesome!" Sam was getting along with Soulseeker just fine, but Artemis was unbelievably stiff. Optimus looked at Artemis for a long time. What was she doing that she wouldn't want them to see or know?

**Dark Alley**

"Hurry, we'll miss the opening if we don't hurry." Soulseeker growled. They practically ran through the dark alley before reaching a set of stairs. The reddish glow coming from its depths made everyone a bit uneasy to follow. "Well, come on!"

Optimus knew where they were headed. What he could not grasp was why. They walked down the stairs and found a large arena at the bottom. Sam gasped at the mere enormity of it, not to mention the amount of bots seated. SoulSeeker led them to seats. They weren't front row, but that was better. You saw the whole arena, but still sat close enough that you could see their faces.

"Iacon! Are you ready?" The announcer said over the intercom. The crowd cried in excitement, ready for action. "I can't hear you!" The bots screamed again. "Our challengers, by request, Axon!" A large bot with dark green armor stepped out in the arena, hyping up the crowd before heading to a scrap pile to hide.

"Wait a second, this is. This is a gladiator match." Bulkhead looked around at the crowd then back at the ring.

"You know the rules folks. The challenger gets 40 Nano-cycles to hide before our champion comes out to hunt Him DOWN!" The announcer counted down. When the forty seconds were up, he paused. "Iacon, who is your champion!?"

"Phoenix!" The crowd said simultaneously.

"Iacon, WHO IS YOUR CHAMPION!?"

"PHOENIX!"

"No." Ratchet's jaw dropped when he realized who this ruthless gladiator was.

**Artemis POV**

I held my shield in one hand, my sword in the other. I could hear the crowd calling my name as I entered the arena. I looked around at the crowd. They love how my helm kept my emotions hidden from them. I loved it too because I was scared as frag. I looked around the arena.

My opponent chose to conceal himself. I prowled towards the middle of the arena. It would expose me, but it was the only way to draw him out. The crowd was silence when there was no action. The moments before the Energon flowed from our wounds.

I looked over at Optimus and the others. Other than Sam and Soul, they all looked sad. They knew what was at stake, but they don't know how I play this game. My opponent jumped out from his hiding spot and I raised my shield.

**Autobot POV**

"GO PHOENIX!" Sam yelled. They fought viciously, too viciously. Optimus couldn't even watch. Artemis had scratched on her armor, but the other one was much worse. Artemis raised her sword to his kneeling form. Everyone fell silent, not wanting to miss the finishing blow.

**Artemis POV**

I hit him in the back of his helm. He was out cold and I heard the screaming of the crowd filled my audio receptors. The announcer proclaimed me the winner reluctantly. I played by my own set of rules in this pit. I refused to kill. I could sit there for solar cycles if I needed too. They couldn't. Their crowd needed a winner and they can't wait.

"Iacon!" I announced to the crowd and they all silenced. I raised my arms to them so they knew it was important. "Iacon, to you I fight for your entertainment! But, I fight for much more than that! I fight for you! I fight for Iacon! I fight for Cybertron! Iacon! Who is your champion!?"

"Phoenix! Phoenix!" I lowered my arms waiting for the cheering to subside. Then, I did what I always did after a fight. I raised two fingers to my spark, then my head, then where my lips would be, and extended them heavenward.

**Arena Sick Bay**

"That was perfect Artemis, they really love you." Soulseeker fixed Artemis' wounds, the few she had.

"How could you?" Ratchet hissed at her.

"Ratchet I-"

"Participating in that blood sport! For what?!" Right as he said those words, three bots poked their heads into the room, one of them Axon.

"I just wanted to come and say. I heard you, out there." Axon almost mumbled. "And, I want the same."

"I know Axon. Deep down, we all do." The bots left as abruptly as they came. Artemis watched the space they were just like everyone else did. "That's why Ratchet. That's why."


	30. Ch 30: Six Lasers

The Human Prime

Chapter 30: Six Lasers

"Megatron was able to gather so many followers because of who he was. He was a gladiator in which millions of bots came to see. He could spread the word easily and because he wins, the words he says sticks in their neronets. I figured I could use the same principal." Artemis explained as she weaved through the exiting crowd of the arena.

"Megatron has been doing it for much longer than you have. What makes you think that they'll listen to you more than him?" Arcee frowned.

"Because I have one key difference." Artemis looked back at Arcee. "I don't kill my opponents. My words mean something. It shows that, unlike Megatron, I really do fight for every sentient being."

"Yeah, the bosses don't really like that." Soulseeker pointed out.

"They won't do anything about it. I'm winning, I'm filling seats. That's all they care about." Artemis shook her head. What corruption this world was under.

"Congratulations, Phoenix." Artemis stopped at the voice and looked behind her, past her friends. "Councilman, it is an honor." Ratbat, she only know bad things about this bot. His own corruption was something that kept Cybertron under.

"The honor is all mine." Ratbat walked through the others, heading straight for Phoenix. "That was a magnificent battle."

"I am glad you enjoyed it. I can't deny that I am surprised to see a Councilman at an illegal gladiator match." She struggled to keep her voice level. She wanted nothing more than to snap his body in two. He had no idea of the suffering he caused his fellow Cybertronians. Soulseeker signaled her to calm down, that she was dancing on a fine line.

"I'm here to give you a gift. As a thanks for putting on a rather enjoyable performance." He handed her a gold pass. She looked at it for a long time. "For Six Lasers, bring all your friends! And enjoy yourself."

"You are generous Councilman." She paused for a second then looked at him. "How many of my friends?"

"As many as you like, all of them if you wish. Anyways, I better be off. Have a pleasant solar cycle." He walked past her leaving her with a hidden smirk.

"You're lucky you didn't just get sentenced to the scrap heap." Soulseeker yelled.

"You heard that right?"

"Huh?"

"I can bring as many friends as I want."

"Artemis, whatever you're thinking, stop. It can't be good."

"Too late." Artemis looked around. "Drexel, do you think you can hook me up to the Data Net?"

**Artemis POV**

I stood in front of long steps and a crowd of my viewers. Drexel, hooked up to the DataNet, was recording me. Against my trainer's request, I told everyone I was making an important announcement. I knew what I was about to do would put a big target on my head, but I knew it would be the right thing to do. I looked at Optimus, his face curious. He would never know that it was he who put this idea into my head. Well, Orion anyway.

"Iacon! I have interesting news!" My crowd listened intently, eager to hear anything I had to say. "I was just invited to Six Lasers over Cybertron." I saw the disappointment grow on the faces of my crowd, but it only made me feel more pleased about what I was doing. "And I was thinking."

"Here we go." SoulSeeker put a servo to her face, covering it.

"I must not be the only low caste who hasn't been to this amusement park. You want to go too. Don't you Iacon?" I heard the crowd's echoes.

"Yeah!"

"Do you want to go to Six Lasers with me?!"

"YEAH!"

"I am inviting all of Iacon to come with me! No! I am inviting all of Cybertron! Anyone who hears me! Anyone who hears this invitation! Come to Six Lasers with me! We deserve it, don't we?!"

"YEAH!" The crowd of bots rumbled, raising their hands in the air.

"In three solar cycles, I will meet you at the gates of Six Lasers!" I could see the bots in the crowd break out into cheerful screams. I walked down from where I stood in front of them.

"Do you really think you'll get away with this?" Bulkhead brought up a good question.

"No, but does it really matter if I succeed?"

**Hall of Records**

Artemis bit her lip, walking towards her work station. She was going to do this and not sound like a total idiot. She was going to! She stopped at Orion's station, watching him work. She smiled when she saw him listening to one of her matches. Good, he heard her too. She finally went and tapped on his shoulder. He flinched and looked over at her. He eased when he saw it was her.

"I did it." Artemis said, smiling.

"Did what?"

"Found a way to get you to six lasers."

"Really?" Orion looked surprised, utterly dumbfounded. "How?"

"Phoenix is inviting everyone to go with her."

"That was you're doing?"

"You'll go right?" She felt her heart sink a little when he didn't respond right away.

"I-I did promise didn't I?" He looked down at his keys. "But work-"

"I already got permission from the Archivist." Artemis paused for only a moment. "You should walk with her tomorrow."

"She's walking?"

"I think she wants to pick up anyone along the way, but still. You should go and walk with her."

"Are you going to walk with her?"

"I'm not going, at least, not right away. I have work to finish here before I go."

"Then I'll wait-"

"No, no, I really want you to go with her. Please?" Again he didn't answer right away. Then he hid his face from her.

"Alright."

"She'll be at the north gates leaving Iacon when the sun first rises."

**Northern Gate**

"Why the frag are we walking? It's much faster to drive! Or to take the train!" Sam and Soulseeker complained at her heels. Artemis laughed as they finally left the apartment district and headed for the gates.

"Come on boss, you need the exercise."

"You're the gladiator! Not me." Soulseeker snapped.

"Walking would make you a rather open target." Optimus said. Artemis looked at him and found a sense of enjoyment. He never got to go Six Lasers before it was blown up. While she knew he'd never be able to enjoy it now, she was sure that he thought she was doing a good thing, even if it was extremely reckless. Artemis stopped at the gate, waiting.

"Come on, we gotta get going if we're going to get there in time."

"I'm waiting for someone." Phoenix looked so intimidating when she folded her arms and just stayed silence.

"Who?"

"Excuse me." Everyone looked around Phoenix at the patient Orion. Optimus and Ratchet gave her a stern look. As if to say, 'what have you done?'

"Yes?"

"Are you, Phoenix?" Orion asked and watched her nod once. "May I, walk with you?"

"My friend told me you were coming. I would enjoy your company Orion." Phoenix was inwardly laughing. He had no idea that Artemis and Phoenix were one of the same. "Let's get moving then, shall we?" Phoenix walked past the others, Orion pausing briefly to give a sigh of relief. Optimus got close to Phoenix and whispered low enough that Orion could not hear.

"Why did you invite him to come with us?" Optimus sounded uncharacteristically angry. Phoenix sighed and whispered back.

"Because he needs one who speaks pure words, not someone like Megatron. Besides, he told me he always wanted to go to Six Lasers." She noticed Optimus taken back. He realized how close Orion and Artemis had become in the past few weeks.

The group moved quickly and still Orion kept up. There was a silence that lingered making Artemis wonder if bring Orion was a good idea. No one wanted to talk in fear that it would give something away. Surprisingly, it was Orion who broke the silence. Unsurprisingly, it was to ask Phoenix many questions.

"Do you know Megatronus?" One of Orion's questions finally led to.

"I have never talked to him personally, but I have watched many of his matches on the screens." Phoenix said as honestly as possible.

"What do you think of him?" He waited for an answer, but she only stared at him for a while.

"I," Phoenix saw everyone look at her intensely. She had to pick her words wisely. "I believe that his true intentions are unclear."

"What do you mean?"

"We speak of the same things, Megatronus and I. However, no matter how inspirational his words seem to be, they are deceiving. You can draw many conclusions from them. Some are not as appealing as others."

"You accuse Megatronus of deception?"

"I suspect his intentions are not as pure as many bots believe." Phoenix paused, wondering whether she should say the next thing that had popped into her mind. She did anyways. "I believe his true ideas will destroy Cybertron."

The silence grew again. While Orion knew not the truth of her words, everyone else did. She hoped that what she said would draw him away from Megatronus, or at least make him more cautious. Before Orion could even think of continuing his questions, more bots came almost out of nowhere to join them in the walk.

"Your words reached far." Orion said.

"I hoped they would."

**Night**

"This is going to be so much fun!" Sam said as she sat in the circle with everyone else.

"I have to admit, I'm a bit excited about getting there." Arcee smiled.

"I hope we do get to get in." Bulkhead felt Sam shake him slightly.

"Positive thinking Bulk, positive." Sam looked over and saw Orion sitting by himself. She felt bad; they haven't talked to him the whole day, not even the new bots joining them talked to him. Artemis was busy looking out for more followers. "Hey, Orion, why don't you come sit with us?"

Orion looked at her and, with a few minutes to think about it, came over and sat with them. Still there was an awkward silence. They couldn't seem to bring anything up to say. Sam went out on a ledge. She asked him about the Hall of Records and how his work was like. Then she managed to branch off of that into other subjects.

"What do you do for fun?" Sam was lying on her stomach, watching him think and answer.

"I usually go and talk with Jazz."

"Jazz your buddy?"

"Buddy?"

"Your friend."

"Oh, then yes."

"I wonder if Jazz came along for the fun." Sam sat up and nudged Bulkhead.

"I doubt it." Orion went on. "He wouldn't get involved in something like this."

"And you would?"

"I made a promise to someone that I would."

Their conversation was interrupted when Phoenix came over and sat with them. Orion asked how she thought tomorrow would go, but she never answered. She wasn't sure. She wanted to say that it would be the best day in Cybertron history, but how could one guarantee that. She only hoped that whatever happened, that bots of all caste would be closer to one another.

**Artemis POV**

We approached Six Lasers and boy was I surprised. It was like a sea of Cybertronians from all over Cybertron. We passed bots from Altihex, Vos, Polyhex, and even Kaon. It was unbelievable. I could feel their servos graze on my armor as I passed them by. They all wanted to meet my eye, to see who was helping them. I finally got to the gates and found a single worker waiting for me, blocking the gate.

"Y-you all can't come in here. W-we're closed." It was obvious he was scared to death. I was a gladiator after all. I walked closer to him and looked passed him.

"That's funny because, I can see plenty of bots in there." I said back to him and again he flinched.

"The gates are closed."

"Well open them up."

"I can't."

"Can't be that hard." I walked past him and he went back to get in front of me.

"Now they can't be opened." He said again and again I brushed past him. I grabbed onto the bars of the gate and it seemed to be locked. That wasn't going to stop me. I pushed on the gates and felt the lock keep them together. I pushed again, harder this time. I pushed them so hard that they bent before they flew open.

"By the Allspark-"

"See, wasn't that hard." I turned to the anxious awaiting Cybertronians and with my loud voice, announced to them all. "Femme and bots alike, Six Lasers over Cybertron is now open for business."

They ran past me as fast as they could muster. Though the numbers were insane and their excitement was high, they all paid their respects to the park staff. They waited in lines, they didn't push or shove. In fact, they were more behaved then the stuck up high caste member that did find their way here. Sure it was filled to the brim, but at the same time it functioned like it did every other day.

We walked through the park, going on rides (well they did) and all sorts of activates. I don't think I've ever seen Optimus, or in this case Orion Pax, smile so wide and so long. Sam practically dragged him onto all the rides. She probably made him ride the Plasma Curve about five times. Bulkhead was lucky he fit on some of the rides. As for Optimus and I, we stood by and watched the people pass us, all of their happy faces.

"I don't think I've seen so many smiles." Optimus said to me when everyone was on a ride.

"I'm glad you got to see it Optimus. You need it more than I." I lowered my head and let out a heavy sigh.

"Something wrong?"

"I'm just tired." I noticed the group getting of their ride and led them toward a place to sit and rest. I sat on the bench, feeling instant relief. I haven't stopped moving since my match in the arena. I felt Orion join me on the bench, sharing a similar heavy sigh. I wanted to smile at him, but my helm showed no emotion.

I stood up and began walking again, wanting to fetch them something to drink. I found myself shocked when two familiar bots blocked the path. They were brutes, meant to beat down the Cybertronians that caused trouble, very secret and very illegal, yet another example of corruption.

"Do you really want to fight me?" I reached back towards my sword.

"No, we really want to scrap you." They approached me and for a second I was exhausted. I didn't want to hurt anyone today. I withdrew my hand and exposed myself. One, two, three, no, dozens of bots stepped between us. Many even went so far as to hold onto my arms. They were protecting me. They wanted to keep my safe. I was their hope.

"Go ahead and shoot me officer. You'll have many angry Cybertronians after you." I threatened. They hesitated then lowered their arms. They left without saying a word which made me guess that it wasn't over. It didn't matter however, I won this day. With my special salute spreading through different hands, I won. They wanted to follow the cause I fought for. Now all there was left to do was having them follow the right leader. I looked briefly over at Orion. They need to follow him.

**Night**

Sam walked with Optimus a few steps behind the others. She wanted to bring up something, but wasn't sure how. Finally, she let out a little cough. When Optimus didn't respond she coughed again. He finally looked over at her. She smiled slight and looked towards the others.

"I always knew Artemis to be a great leader."

"Yes, she had the qualities of one."

"Artemis once told me that she would dream of Cybertron's people under one spark, one entity that seemed to strive toward a similar goal." Optimus didn't answer to her words quickly. "I think today, I finally saw one of her dreams realized."

"I think your right Sam."

Artemis stood in front of the gates. The group agreed to walk Orion around the park once or twice to give her the chance to transform into Artemis. She told Orion that "Phoenix" was going to fly home alone. Artemis waited at the gate until she finally saw Orion. She waved him down and surprisingly, he ran to her.

"You came!"

"I told you I would, but I guess I missed the real party. But, I found you in enough time to ride with you home."

"The train?" Soulseeker interrupted.

"Yes, the train."

**Artemis POV**

I sat next to Orion on the train. I stared out the window, watching the colors dash across my vision. Cybertron, you are so beautiful. It was tragic to know that in my dimension it was all, but dust. I felt fingers slip through my hand. I looked down and saw someone holding my hand. I followed the hand to Orion's face.

"Is this okay?" Orion whispered, I'm sure it was so Ratchet and Optimus couldn't hear. I looked back down at out clasped hands.

"Yes." I mumbled and looked away. I hoped that the hotness in my face plate was an illness. I hoped that I was doing what I thought I was doing. I hoped and prayed to Primus that I wasn't falling for Orion Pax.

I fell into recharge and for the first time since arriving here, I heard voices. The Primes were talking, but whispering amongst themselves. They would not allow me to hear, but they would allow me to know they were talking.

I opened my optics and it was still night. I saw Soulseeker return to her seat and I wondered what she was doing. I felt my face against someone's shoulder and a head resting on my own. How could I fall asleep on his shoulder? IN FRONT OF OPTIMUS!

It was a mistake I would correct later, I hoped. I looked at Soulseeker and gave her a stern look. She knew I wanted to know what happened. I saw her face was grim and cold. Something bad I thought. I went to open my mouth to ask, but she shook her head.

"I went and checked a secure network."

"Yeah, so?"

"Someone wants to see you."

"Oh? Who?"

"Megatronus."


	31. Ch 31: Forbidden

The Human Prime

Chapter 31: Forbidden

I didn't want to think about the message from Megatronus. I was officially a target of his. If he wanted to see me, it was either to take me out or to try and convince me to join his cause. I was practically having a campaign to rival his and whatever followers I obtained were ones he could not. It was just stressful to think about, especially knowing that I had to watch my back for any spies wondering Iacon looking for Phoenix.

"Are you okay?" Orion startled me. I must have hit some wrong keys because the piece I was working on was sent to the wrong section of data.

"Woops." I said and tried to retrieve it.

"Sorry." He looked at me again and asked again. "Are you okay?"

"I just have something on my mind is all. It's complicated." I drew my fingers away from the control keys and stared for a while.

"You feel like taking a break?" Orion asked in a very particular way. It got me wondering what was on HIS mind.

"Why?"

**Bar**

"Jazz, I can't drink another one!" Artemis cried, half laughing.

"Come one! One more!" Jazz held the cup to her lips, but she pushed it away.

"No, Jazz, I can't take it. You're gonna flood my systems!" She leaned up against Orion, trying to get away from Jazz.

"Feel better?" Orion half laughed, making Artemis stop and stare at him.

"Yeah, thank you." She looked away from him, holding onto an empty cup. "You think the Archivist will scold us for leaving in the middle of work?"

"I'll talk to him when we get back." He went to pick up his drink, but she interrupted.

"No, I'll talk to him. I need some advice anyways." She tilted her head away from Orion and ended up getting Jazz started with having another drink again. They laughed when she ended up causing the cup to spill over Jazz.

**Streets**

"FINALLY, we get some time to truly explore!" Sam stretched out her servos, almost hitting Drexel in the head. Arcee sighed and looked around. She had to admit that it had been awhile since she had seen Iacon in this good of a condition. Perhaps exploring it while it was still whole was not a bad idea.

"Hey, Optimus, you lived here before, surely you must know some cool landmarks to check out." Sam yelled back to the back of the group where Optimus was walking beside Ratchet. Optimus was about to respond to her when she bumped into a bot.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't-" Sam looked up at the bot and immediately recognized the face. "ShadowVolt?!"

"Haha, do I know you little one?" ShadowVolt's smile beamed even bigger than the one back in their dimension. He had an emblem on his chest that was unfamiliar to her.

"What's that on your chest?" She asked immediately. He looked over at his chest briefly then smiled, forgetting all about her knowing his name.

"It's the emblem for my work. You see, I'm a Seeker. I was ordered to come here and investigate some anomalies." His smile was still planted firmly on his face. Sam poked at them emblem with no sense of personal boundaries. The others, however, were completely frozen. Seekers, in which Starscream was the commander of before taking his place by Megatron has his second in command.

"So you're not from around here?" She stopped touching long enough only to allow him to answer her question.

"Well, no, I live here, but I'm usually away on business a lot." He answered, only loosening his smile.

"Oh! Then maybe you can show us around to all the cool places?" Sam didn't notice the others insisting against it. ShadowVolt bowed and nodded.

"Why, little femme it would be an honor." He extended and arm for Sam to take and began to walk off. The others, completely dumbfounded, followed reluctantly.

"Now over hear is the fountain in the center of Iacon. Neat, right?" He gestured to it. Many of the bots were sitting by it doing daily activates. Some were talking, others were reading, some were even playing around in the fountain in which they weren't supposed to.

"Hey, hey, guys look!" She pointed passed the fountain at two bots. Bulkhead turned tense when he noticed who it was. It was Knockout and Breakdown.

"That's weird. What are they doing all the way up here? They live all the way in Kalis." He thought about it for a second. "One of them must be here on business."

"They look like great friends."

"Eh, you could say that. They end up seeing each other a lot so I guess naturally they would become pals." ShadowVolt eased away from them. "Let's try and avoid them. I don't think I can sit through a 'my paint is shinier than your paint' rant from Knockout again."

They walked down the street while ShadowVolt pointed to various hot spot from a distance. They stopped briefly at an alley way. He seemed torn. He didn't know whether to go down it or to keep walking on the same road. He finally turned to them and ushered them into the alley. Sam found she like alleys. They always seemed to lead to something fun. He pointed at a neon sign that hung above a door. It said "the Corner."

Sam wondered if this was like a Cybertronian strip club. She didn't know why ShadowVolt would show them to such a place, but then again she wasn't sure of any of his motives. He started to gesture them in and she hesitated. Was it safe to go into a place like this? Even Optimus didn't know.

"Come on! I promise, you won't be disappointed." ShadowVolt finally got them to enter 'the Corner' and what they found was a shock.

**Artemis POV**

I knocked on the door lightly waiting for a response. I watched Orion leave to return to his work station and then waited on my own. Things were getting so serious so fast. I needed advice if I were to proceed with anything. Who better to ask for advice then Alpha Trion, one of the thirteen Primes? I finally heard his voice that allowed me to enter. I did so and sat in the chair opposing him.

"I need you advice Archivist." I saw his face look unyielding to any emotion.

"About?"

"Megatronus." Finally I saw a bit of shock in his optics.

"Oh."

"Why? What did you think I was coming for advice about?"

"Well," He paused a moment, wondering if he should continue. "Orion Pax."

"What about him?" I was very confused. Though a part of me wasn't confused at all.

"You two seem to be getting closer and closer."

"We're just friends."

"Are you?"

"We…I don't know." I wasn't sure if this was Alpha Trion's plan. To get me so mixed up in my own emotions that I would ask him for advice not only on Megatronus, but Orion as well. "It can't be anything else. I'm not of this world."

"He doesn't know that."

"Are you suggesting I tell him?"

"Perhaps he wouldn't fall so fast if he knew."

"Orion Pax is NOT falling for me." I paused again. "Should I tell him?"

"If you two do share any feelings for one another, friendship or more than that, I think he has the right to know that you will not be staying." His words cut deep. Have I been leading him on all this time? I knew he'd be hurt if one day I just disappeared so why didn't I tell him? Why did I befriend him? "And Megatronus?"

"He sent me a message. He wants to see Phoenix."

"You want to know if you should answer such a call." I nodded and he paused to think. "I," He waited for the words to find him. "I would not see it wise to go into his territory. You are another opponent to him and in Kaon he has many followers who would be willing to face you for him."

"I understand." I stood up and went to leave.

"Artemis."

"Yes?"

"Ask Optimus Prime, he would know Megatronus' intentions more than I." He waited for me to nod.

"Thank you for your advice Archivist." I left to return to my station, but in all honesty. I was more confused than when I first walked in.

**The Corner**

Sam was surprised to find that 'The Corner' was more or less a stand up joint. Presently there was a comedian telling his best jokes to the crowd. ShadowVolt ushered them over to a table where they all managed to fit in. He ordered them all drinks and even seemed to laugh at some of the drinks. Sam reached for her drink, but Ratchet took it out of her reach and shook his head. She gave him a sour look and folded her arms, sulking.

"How do you know this place Shadow?" Sam leaned over the table, her chin resting on her folded arms.

"Someone I know sings here." Right as he said that, a pink and silver bot stepped out onto the stage in place of the comedian. ShadowVolt's attention was completely focused on her. She briefly looked at him and smiled and suddenly began to sing to the crowd.

"Wow, she sings like an angel." Sam said.

"What's an angel?" He responded on half paying attention. He leaned his head against his servo.

"Who is she?"

"That's my femme." He suddenly snapped and pointed to everyone individually. "So look, but don't touch."

"Wait, then that means." Sam looked back at the beautiful bot that sung so wonderfully. "That's MoonRay."

"You scare me little bot, but yes. That's MoonRay." He leaned back into his seat and smiled softly. "That's my spark mate."

"How'd you get a femme like her?" Bulkhead said jokingly. ShadowVolt smirked and brushed his shoulder.

"Your buddy Shadow has skills my friend. Wanna see how I won her over?" He nudged Sam slightly and she nodded back. She was actually really excites.

"I'll be right back." ShadowVolt ran back towards the bar area.

"What you do that for Sam?" Arcee snapped.

"What? You're not curious." Sam smiled, but she didn't know how much of a fool ShadowVolt was prepared to make himself for his dear MoonRay.

MoonRay finished her song and was enjoying the applause when the lights took a yellow hue and a new song played. She was unaware of the owner having her sing another song so she scrambled to figure out what was going on. She tried speaking into the mike, but hers was turned off. What was going on? Suddenly she heard another voice speaking over the speakers. She knew it well and blushed slightly.

"Such a P.Y.T. Pretty young thing." ShadowVolt said into his microphone. Everyone moved out of the way, leaving a clear path to the stage. Sam's jaw dropped. He was going to SING! Drexel, who had been in competition for Arcee's love the passed for weeks they spent together, began recording. The others were outright dumbfounded, but Sam slowly began to smile and cheer.

"Yeah, Shadow!"

"Where did you come from baby? And ooo, won't you take me there? Right away, won't you baby?" He made his way over to the stage and pulled her down from where she stood on it. "Tendoroni, you got to be." He spun her around so she was to the left of him and he raised his arm, allowing electricity to spark between his digits. "Spark My Nature, Sugar fly with me." The two began to slowly and rhythmically head away from the stage, each not leaving the others optics.

"I gotta admit, his voice isn't terrible." Bulkhead half laughed and Sam reached over and smacked him in the shoulder.

"Terrible? It's awesome!"

"Don't you know now, is The Perfect Time. We can make it right, hit the City Lights." He extended his servo out in an arch and on cue the bartender, who was one of ShadowVolt's friends, made the lights shine brighter on them. "Then Tonight Ease The lovin' Pain. Let Me Take You To The Max!"

"Drexel, dance with me!" Sam took Drexel's servo and brought him out to dance. He looked back to Arcee and seemed disappointed. Arcee frowned when she realized he was hoping to dance with her.

"I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing." He traced the digits of his left servo over her figure very seductive like. "You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. And I'll take You There." She spun around so she was on the right side of him and began to shuffle back towards the stage. "I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing. You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. I'll Shake You There."

"Uh-" Bulkhead started, but Arcee raised a digit to him.

"Don't even think about it." She hissed.

"Nothin' Can Stop This Burnin', Desire To Be With You." He spun around to his knees in front of her and clung to her waist." Gotta Get To You Baby. Won't You Come, It's Emergency!" He inches his way back up to her face, allowing his digits to graze over her chassis. "Cool My Fire Yearnin', Honey, Come Set me Free." He again made his way to her side and held one of her arms up with his own. "Don't You Know Now Is the Perfect Time. We Can Dim The Lights, Just To Make It Right." He lowered his opposite servo to mimic the lights as they dimmed slightly. "In The Night, Hit The Lovin' Spot. I'll Give You All That I've Got."

"What shameful display of intimate affection." Ratchet growled, covering his faceplate with his hand. Sam came over, pulling Drexel along.

"Come on Ratchet, people on Earth dance much worse than that." She felt Drexel draw his hand out of her grasp and extend it to Arcee. Arcee paused briefly then sighed heavily.

"Fine." Arcee stood up and took Drexel's hand.

"I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing. You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. And I'll take You There." He took her by the hips and they shuffled in sync. "I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing. You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. I'll Shake You There." He twirled away from her and continued to dance by himself. "Pretty Young Things, Repeat after Me! I Said Na Na Na!"

"Na Na Na!" The crowd of femmes screamed out, caught up in the excitement.

"Na Na Na Na!" ShadowVolt sung out then waited for an answer.

"Na Na Na Na!" Sam screamed out clinging to Bulkhead while laughing.

"Na Na Na!" ShadowVolt almost screamed, hyping up the crowd more.

"Na Na Na!" Arcee finally said in almost a whisper. Drexel looked down at her, drawing a smile on her face plate.

"I Said Na Na Na Na Na!" ShadowVolt sung seeing MoonRay get closer to him.

"Na Na Na Na Na." MoonRay sung back to him making his spark jump.

"I'll Take You There. I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing. You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. And I'll take You There. I Want To Love You (P.Y.T.)! Pretty Young Thing. You Need Some Lovin' (T.L.C.)! Tender Lovin' Care. I'll Take You There!" ShadowVolt scooped up MoonRay and while the crowd was singing the chorus, too excited to notice, he carried her out of the club. Sam noticed, however, him leaving and fetched Drexel and Arcee so they could follow him out.

Sam let out a small giggle when they finally got out of The Corner and found ShadowVolt kissing MoonRay. The two broke apart and ShadowVolt spun around with her still in his arms. The group, besides Ratchet and Optimus, clapped their servos as he gave a slight bow. They all walked out of the alley and found it to be dark.

"Well, I gotta tour to finish up." ShadowVolt said to the group behind him.

"Can I go back to work now?" MoonRay said with a voice even as pure as her singing.

"Nope, I'm botnapping you." He turned to the group and found two faces completely exhausted.

"I think I'll be going back to the room." Ratchet groaned, feeling a throb in his helm. Optimus nodded slight as if suggesting he would go with him.

"Okay, we'll see you back there then." Sam waved. The two began to walk away when Optimus turned back to look at Sam seriously.

"Stay out of trouble."

"Pfft, I will." She waved at them again as Optimus and Ratchet faded into the crowd of bots. "Now where Shadow?"

"Now, I'm going to take you to the best view on Cybertron." ShadowVolt held MoonRay over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, ignoring his struggling.

**Artemis POV**

I held Orion's hand as we made our way to the observation deck. After a long solar cycle of work, it felt good to spend time with Orion. Though, Alpha Trion's words plagued my thoughts. I tried to pick up hints in his expression, but couldn't figure out what he was feeling, more specifically, his feelings towards me.

We stood close together, looking up at the stars to the south where the lights of Six Lasers would not drown them. I sighed contently. How many times did I look up at the stars back home and think of Cybertron? Now I was thinking of home and wondering what was happening there.

"Artemis, I need to tell you something." Orion said with weak voice. I barely heard him. I smiled and tilted my head in his direction to show I was listening. He seemed to struggle a lot. "Well, I. Scrap."

"What's wr-"

**Observation Deck**

ShadowVolt held MoonRay's hand as they headed up the stairs. He went on and on about how the Observation deck had the best view in all of Iacon. Sam smiled and chatted with Drexel who was taking in all the information. Arcee was glad this was the last stop for the day. She was exhausted.

"Woops, maybe we should come back later." ShadowVolt stopped, ducking his head.

"Why?"

"Couple lovers seem to be using this spot. That's okay, we'll come back tomorrow I guess." He and his sparkmate was about to go down the stairs when Sam walked passed him

"Who is i-" Sam's mouth parted. "No."

The others came to peek over her shoulder and had the same reaction. There they were. Artemis and Orion with their lips firmly placed against each other. Sam's eyes narrowed when she noticed Artemis' arms half raised as if she was completely caught off guard. Was Orion the one who kissed her? How was that possible? Orion, well Optimus, did not seem the type to be so straight forward and yet, there they were.

"Let's go." Sam said with a shaky voice. The others agreed. This was something they should not have seen.

**Artemis POV**

I rubbed my temple at the next day's work. I felt sick. Emotions within me were boiling in my spark chamber. I needed to do something. I worried because I knew now I had to confront these feelings. I went to Orion's work station and he tried to speak, but I shook my head.

"I need to tell you something." I frowned. It was the only thing I could think of. I made him sit down as I began my explanation. I told him that I was from another dimension, but I was sure to be bland in my details. Only explaining what I needed to. I explained the Matrix shard crashing down to earth, my sister, the explosion of the Space Bridge, and yet I managed to exclude the war, Megatron, and Optimus Prime.

At first he looked confused. His optics showed a glimmer of disbelief. He even seemed to think it was an excuse to break his spark gently. Yet, as I explained a bit more, his expression changed. He seemed surprised. The questions began to rapidly pour out of his systems. Though they were about my planet, he seemed so curious about it. Finally, he paused and thought of a more important question.

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"Do you love me?" His question seemed to come out of know where, yet it was perfectly reasonable.

"Orion, it's not proper. I mean-"

"That's not what I asked you." His voice was harsh and I stumbled with the question again. I had to say something, but I knew the answer wasn't good.

"Yes." I whimpered and he drew me into him. I felt his glossa brush against my denta as he lifted me up to sit on the counter of the work station. I felt his servos brush against my frame and I whimpered at the touch. He let my lips go and kissed my neck softly and I wanted to tell him to stop, but in my spark I didn't want to. Thank Primus the screen lit up with a message. He grunted and slammed his fist against counter. He went over and answered it. Megatronus' face plate took over the screen.

"Orion, there is something I must discuss with you. Are you busy?" Orion looked back to his counter and found his Artemis was nowhere to be found. He frowned and turned back to Megatronus.

"No."

I, Solstice, listen from the other cubical next door. I was jacked into the Data Net and could hear every detail of their conversation. One in particular thing troubled me. Megatronus was inviting him to Kaon. What business he had with a Data clerk I could never understand, but I needed to try and delay their brotherhood from forming. For it would only turn traitorous in the end. I decided against Alpha Trion's wished and without consulting Optimus. I decided I needed to go to Kaon.


	32. Ch 32: Megatronus

The Human Prime

Chapter 32: Megatronus

SoulSeeker grabbed my servo and tried pulling me away from the screen. She didn't think it was a good idea to go to Kaon, especially the way I was feeling right now. I pushed her away and pulled up Travel passes to go to Kaon. Sam bit her lip and kept suspiciously to herself. Bulkhead, Arcee, and Drexel followed her lead. Optimus put a hand on my shoulder, making me pause and turn. I nodded as I followed him out of the room. He folded his arms and I could tell he wanted an explanation.

"Optimus, I." I paused, feeling a bit defenseless against him right now. "Megatron sent me a message to meet with him. Normally I would think it a bad idea, but I've come up with a plan."

"Which is?"

"Put a severe blow to his campaign. If I go and he tries to terminate me, the meaning of his words will be tainted. If I go and he tries to lead me into his clutches, I will simply decline and spread my own campaign within the walls of Kaon." I could see him thinking about my plan. Tearing it a part to see what would go wrong, as every good leader does.

"You've thought a lot about this. Haven't you?"

"Especially recently." I said simply as he let out a deep sigh.

"Then we must go to Kaon." We walked back into the room and Optimus explained to his soldiers how going to Kaon was going to work. Sam broke away and took my arm. Her face was worried and, as much as I wanted to finish working on travel passes, I let her pull me aside to talk.

"Artemis, are you okay?"

"Yes, Sam. I'm fine, are you?"

"Yes, but don't make this about me. You seem a bit pressured, what's going on? What's the rush?" Sam words had a hidden meaning in which I ignored and played to the general terms.

"Megatronus campaign is spreading. The more bots I get on our side, the less Decepticons will outnumber us." I went to go back to work, but she held my arm again.

"This isn't about Orion Pax?"

"Why would it be?"

"Because you seem to be more emotionally attached to him than just friends." Sam's words made me freeze. She saw? If she saw then that means others could have seen. That means Soundwave could have seen, making Orion Pax and I targets. Either if Megatron wanted to get at him or to get at I if he ever found out Phoenix the Gladiator and Artemis the data clerk was one of the same.

"If I am then that is my obstacle to face, not yours."

"But Artemis-"

"Sam, please. Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself, you are the biggest target among us. You don't know how to fight and you lack an alternate mode. If the Megaton's lackeys got hold of you-" I didn't want to think too much about it. "Stay on your guard Sam. Stay safe. And. Leave the Orion Pax thing to me. I'll work on it, promise." I turned and paused for a second. "I suppose Bulkhead, Arcee, and Drexel all know too?"

"Yeah."

Great, I thought. Just great.

**Traveling**

Artemis was flying far ahead of everyone else. Sam had the worst time trying to keep up. Even when Soulseeker allowed her to copy her alternate mode, she just couldn't seem to control it right. She would drive in all different directions. Thank goodness she wasn't old enough to get her license yet back on earth.

"Artemis, Artemis, slow down!" Sam complained and tried to at least catch up to Bulkhead. Artemis didn't hear nor would she slow down if she did. Kaon was on the other side of the planet. She wasn't stopping for anything. If she wasn't traveling with others, she would have gone ever faster.

"Artemis, slow down." Optimus finally ordered, contacting her via com-link. All of a sudden, Artemis folded in her wings and fell down to ground level. She stood waiting for the others to catch up. When they finally did, they transformed and took heavy breaths, simulating exhaustion.

"Artemis, Megatronus doesn't have a match till tomorrow night. We'll make it in plenty of time. You don't have to go so fast." SoulSeeker gasped and took a seat.

"There's no time to waste. The longer it takes to get there, the more Megatronus taints his peer's sparks." Artemis was about to take off again, but Optimus stopped her.

"Getting there totally exhausted won't help any of them." He said to her and she loosened up and nodded. He knew just what to say to make her listen to reason. Yet, it was more than that. Perhaps, hints of guilt in her spark for somehow falling in love with his past self.

"We're almost there." Soulseeker said with a heavy sigh. Her face was totally flushed and she needed a breather. Artemis felt guilty as she passed over exhausted faces. She walked over to Soulseeker and helped her to her feet.

"Can you walk?" Artemis helped Soulseeker up and started a slow stroll towards Kaon.

"Phoenix." Artemis stopped at the use of her gladiator name. Surely there was a reason behind it. Soundwave's drones were not anywhere near them. She checked, so what could it be.

"Yes?"

"You got a stalker." Sam answered and Artemis turned around. Of course it would be him, it wouldn't be anyone else.

"Orion Pax!" Artemis called out and holding up her servo. The young clerk's alt form drove up to them casually before transforming.

"Phoenix, I did not know you were headed to Kaon as well."

"I have urgent business to take care of." Artemis turned away from him, wanting to take off and put some distance between them. It was but a few hours before that his denta was grazing so gently across her neck. Sam whispered to Artemis as quietly as Cybertronianly possible.

"I thought this didn't have anything to do with him." Sam said angrily.

"Hush!" Artemis responded back which sounded more like, bite me. She turned back to the clerk and looked him in the optic. "I'd love to chat, librarian, but it is urgent." Artemis took off into the air rather abruptly, too abruptly in fact because Optimus began to see a common denominator in her behavior. When Orion Pax was far ahead with Ratchet, Optimus pulled his Autobots aside.

"What do you know?" His voice was heavy and firm. They all looked among each other knowing he wasn't going to like what they had to say.

**Artemis POV**

I felt better after getting away from Optimus and Orion Pax. The whole situation with them made my head spin. Though, after landing in Kaon, that feeling became just as familiar. I kept looking over my shoulder thinking any moment Megatronus' lackeys would jump me. Though, no such moment came. I did take notice to Ravage who had been tailing me ever since I placed a foot on Kaon ground.

In fact, however, I saw nothing but smiling faces. Faces that knew who I was and could not be happier that I was here. I finally saw Gladiators walk up towards me and I went on the defensive. All that time thinking that I should have waited for the others, for my backup.

"Phoenix, it's an honor to finally meet you." One of them said and I had to stop and resister it.

"What?"

"Because of you, we can walk out of the pits with our heads held high!" The second clarified.

"What you do, none of us could have pulled it off." The third continued.

"You work the system in Cybertronians' favor!" The first cut off the other two.

"And you all idolize it….me?" I couldn't believe it. Out of all the places, HERE in Kaon, the underbelly of Megatron's empire, bots followed ME!

"Of course!"

"I am," I paused for a moment, allowing the feelings to catch up to me. "Honored to have such followers here in Kaon, a city far from my own."

"We'll follow you anywhere Phoenix." The gladiators answered which made me feel important; I had to remind myself not to let it get to my head.

"Excuse me, but where can I get into the arena. I'm here to answer a call from Megatronus." I said with care. I did not want them believing I followed such a ruthless killer. They looked at each other before leading me towards the entrance to the pits. "Thank you, you've been very helpful."

"Anything for you Phoenix." One of the Gladiators answered which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I waited in front of the entrance briefly before seeing the group head towards me. I smiled inwardly and extended my servo towards them, but I noticed something weird. Optimus walked ahead of everyone. He seemed firm and a bit scary. I was about to say something, but he took my servo and pulled me to the side. I saw the others lead Orion Pax into the arena and immediately I knew I was in deep trouble.

"Optimus, what's-"

"What have you done?" Optimus' voice was stern. I was almost taken back by how cold it sounded.

"Optimus I-"

"You're playing around with his emotions!" His voice elevated and for the first time, I watched our leader loose his cool.

"Your emotions." I frowned, saying what was really on his mind. I felt his servos on my shoulders as he pushed me hard against the wall.

"What were you thinking? What would you have to gain by playing with Orion Pax?"

"I wasn't playing with him! He's my friend! He's always been my best friend. And I." I stopped for a second, glad that my helmet hid my face. The conflicting emotions make me feel sick. "I just wanted to get to know you better."

Optimus flinched and let go of me, his hands hovering at my side. If anyone was playing around with emotions, it was him. I felt digits clasp around my own and was surprised when he began pulling me into the entrance of the arena. We let our hands drift apart as we got deeper into the pits of Kaon.

"Here's the match you've all been waiting for! The challenger, he's mean, he's big, he's powerful, give a shout for BoooonnneeeCrusher!" The announcer yelled just as we got down to where the others were seated.

"WOOOOOOOO!" The crowd screamed, but they were all waiting for the main attraction.

**Megatronus POV**

"Now, here is your champion! Give it up for! MEGATRONUS!" I heard the crowd explode with cheers. It made me burn with desire, a desire to put on a good show of course. I walked into the arena and held up my arms. The crowd screamed even louder. Yes, they deserve a good show. I looked out to the crowd and saw my clerk sitting among them, cringing at the exclamation of the crowd.

I walked out into the arena and found my opponent hiding. Typical, he didn't have the guts to try and face me. Who would? I tossed my shield down onto the ground. I wouldn't need it. I never needed it. To me, the object was just for show, to look like the average gladiator. Then again, I was no average Gladiator. It wasn't hard to find my opponent, this was my domain and I knew every inch of it. I eased away to give Bonecrusher a false sense of hope. He fell for it and jumped out at me.

He wasn't as smart as I was. He wouldn't last long. In fact, I could guarantee he'd die tonight. I grabbed his servo that held his weapon and tossed him over my shoulder. He landed on the ground hard, as do they all. I grabbed an idol mace and swung it over my shoulder down onto his frame. He cried out in pain. I could barely hold my chuckles. The crowd cried out in excitement, fueling me. I dropped the mace after a few blows. The kill was the honor of my bare hands.

I picked up the Gladiator as he coughed up Energon. He was through; if anything I was simply putting him out of his misery. I ripped off his servos and tossed them out to the crowd. Yes, when you come and see me fight, you put your spark on the line. I made the audience know that time and time again. I began ripping his head from his body. Bonecrusher desperately tried to fight me off, but I was too powerful for him. I let my blade extend and I finally relieved him of his head, tossing that out to the crowd as well.

"I WILL NOT FALL!" I screamed out, allowing my booming voice to echo through the arena. The crowd responded with cheers. "NO ONE DEFEATS MEGATRONUS! REMEMBER WHO YOU SAW TONIGHT! REMEMBER THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE! REMEMBER YOUR CHAMPION!" I heard the crowd begin chanting my name.

It relished the cheers. I would never go nameless again. The crowd made sure of that. Then without warning, my name began changing. It transformed. It was subtle at first, only a few called it out among the others. Then, before my audio receptors, I heard them all chanting it.

_Megatron._ I thought. _Yes, I will be Megatron._ I extended my arms to them and heard them cheer louder.

"WOULD ANY OF YOU CHALLENGE MEGATRON?! ANYONE, ANY FIVE OF YOU, ANY TEN OF YOU, CHALLENGE ME NOW FOR EVERYTHING I HAVE WON!" I smirked at the lack of such challenge. Who would dare challenge me?

"I WILL!" I heard so suddenly that it took me a second to resister. I looked around to find the source of the challenge. Do they dare hide in the crowd after saying that? I finally located a femme standing from her seat and found myself surprised to see who it was. Though, I wasn't too surprised. "I challenge you, Megatron!"

**Artemis POV**

I began to head towards the arena when Soulseeker stopped me. She advised against it, but I didn't really care. I had just witnessed the great Gladiator Megatronus morph into the evil warlord Megatron in a blink of an eye. I didn't care if I died in that arena. I needed to put a blockade in his war path as soon as possible. I forced my servo away from her and began heading towards the arena.

Many were silent. There were few that whispered amongst themselves, talking about how I was Iacon's champion. Phoenix. Some people smiled at me, thinking of how great of a match it would be. Some sneered at me thinking how easy prey I was for their champion. Some gave me angry looks as if I was out of line to challenge their hero. However, he was no hero and I was no prey. I was going to give Megatron the fight of his life, for his life.

"The Challenger! Phoenix, the Champion of Iacon!" I heard the announcer finally say after finding out who I was. I heard some clapping, but most was still shocked at my challenge. I jumped down into the deep pit and walked over to Megatron. Even as Phoenix he was a bit taller than me, I had to look up at him. He whispered to me.

"You know I didn't call you hear to throw your spark away." He whispered to me with a smirk, so confident that he'd win.

"I'm not planning to." I stared back up at him, fire burning in my spark and engulfing my chassis.

"This isn't like Iacon, I cannot spare you." He looked around at the crowd. "They thirst for Energon, who am I to deny them?"

"Neither of us will deny them Energon, Megatron. I will make sure they get an equal share of yours too." I turned away from him before he could speak anymore. I shook my head at an aid who offered me a shield. If he would not use one, neither would I. I turned to him finally and drew my sword from my back, holding it up to him.

"As you wish." Megatron finally said and extended his own blade. Within seconds of pause, we charged at each other. The crowd cried out as the clash of our blades created sparks that showered over our face plates. I managed to push Megatron away to allow my arm a rest. He retracted his blade and came at me again, this time with bare hands. I stabbed my sword in the ground before coming at him as well.

Our hands locked, each pushing against the other hoping that they'd lose their footing in order to gain extra ground. Our faces practically touched. I could hear him growling under the crowd's exclamation and wondered if perhaps he was more beast than bot. I finally was able to free one of my servos and punch him right in the jaw. He grunted slightly, but showed no real sign of damage. As I approached him to hit him again, he raised one servo and hit on the shoulder causing me to wince.

I took too long to recover from that blow. He had me in a head lock, my back pressed up against his chest. I clutched his servo that held my neck so tightly and wondered what I could do to get out of this one. As the pressure began to overwhelm me, I finally came up with a solution. I flipped him, over my head with all the strength I had. Megatron was good however, he was a professional. He rolled himself back up on his feet right as I dislodged him. Not before, however, I managed to land another blow on his chest.

The arena shook, threatening to collapse on top of all of us. We are Gladiators. You see one of your matches; you put your life on the line. Every blow we exchanged threatened to end not only our own, but the audience's lives as well. Yet they screamed so loudly for more. We gave them a show, each of us fighting harder than we ever had. But to us, it was more than a show; it was whose campaign was better. Whose ideal world triumphed when faced against the other?

I wounds leaked Energon, our bodies beginning to give out against the others weight as we trash against each other. I couldn't lose and yet I seemed to struggle against his blows as the match went on. Finally, as an act of desperation, I took my idol blade and swung it across his chest. The screeching of the blade against his metal armor made the crowd stop in their tracks. Megatron hit me in the face causing me to fly backwards, but his own wounds were far from a scratch.

We stood in the arena, simulating exhaustion in our heavy breaths. I drew my sword once again, ready to go at him again, but as I started to approach him, I felt my body give way. I fell, body in the dust of the Gladiators the fell before me. I heard the crowd gasp and I gathered enough energy to lift up my head to see what was going on. Megatron was down, face against the ground, same as I.

**Autobot POV**

"Go to the med bay underneath the pits. I'll meet you there!" Soulseeker screamed over the crowd that chanted the two Gladiators name after the announcer called it a draw. Soulseeker ran to Phoenix aid seeing Shockwave, Megatron's chief scientist, picking at his remains. "Shockwave! Keep your oily claws off my Champion!"

"She seems so ordinary and yet she bested our dear Megatronus." Shockwave back away from Phoenix' body as Soulseeker got closer.

"Well when she's pushing up lug nuts, you'll be the first I call to examine her. But as long as her spark still beats, you better keep your distant. Cause I might be the one carving out your neronet for examination." She growled making Shockwave back off even more and go to help Soundwave with their leader.

Soulseeker picked up Phoenix and was relieved when she heard her grunt. She was still functional. Soulseeker eased her towards the tunnel leading to the medical bay and was surprised to hear people cheering as they walked out the tunnel. As crazy as it was, Phoenix did manage to win over some sparks with that rash move. Soulseeker placed Phoenix on the table allowing her to rest her head a bit before Sam walked in.

"Are you crazy?! You could have been killed! We could have lost you." Sam was crying, clinging to Phoenix' servo.

"Orion." Phoenix mouthed as the clerk walked into the room. He was silent. He seemed sad and a bit confused. I guess he didn't expect the two revolutionaries, that had lit his spark with a flame he could not explain, to be so ruthless in the arena. Yet, she could see some twinkle in his optics that showed some understanding of why she did what she did. After all, Phoenix was never as violent and as ruthless as Megatron.

"Phoenix!" She shot up into the sitting position when she heard the voice. Megatron walk into the room, half limping on his left side. "A grand fight that was. You sure do keep your promises."

"What do you need Megatron?" Phoenix said with a shrewdness that surprised Megatron.

"I was thinking, two gladiators like us, we fight for the same beliefs. Why not combine our efforts; we would surely give the high caste a lot to deal with." Megatron offered his hand in which Phoenix stared for a long time. Sam wondered if she was actually considering about joining Megatron's cause, that's how long it took.

"It's an honor that I must refuse Megatron. For, I am already partnered with another's campaign." Phoenix finally said.

"Oh? And who's might that be?" His voice sounded sneaky. She thought that he might want to terminate the bot in order to gain her favor, but she knew he wouldn't. Not the name she was about to say.

"Why, this clerk's. Orion Pax." Phoenix gestured to Orion in which he was completely shocked. "His ideals and dreams I would gladly get behind and support in any event. Where he goes I go."

"Ah, I see. Then it seems we are allies already." He suggested, though Phoenix already knew Orion and Megatron had been working together. Though, the two had very different worlds that they dream about. Only Phoenix, Artemis, knew that though.

"For now." Phoenix suggested back standing behind Orion with what strength she had.

"Then perhaps, it is time to go to Iacon." Megatron finally said and Phoenix knew what he meant. He was going to approach the High Council soon and Artemis knew that the events there would determine the fate of Cybertron. For better or for worse.


	33. Ch 33: Birth of Optimus Prime

The Human Prime

Chapter 33: Birth of Optimus Prime

I stood in front of the steps of the Hall of Records and called out to my peers. After confessing my alliance with Orion Pax, I needed to assure that I was in no way affiliated with Megatron. I talked to my crowd with great complexity, a complexity that followers of Megatron would not share. They responded to my words positively. However, I made sure to keep my confession on the down low. Until the day of the hearing, Orion Pax would be paired with Megatron.

I needed to be sure I was paired separately especially so because of recent events. Bombings, ambushes, and much more have been happening in the name of Decepticons. Which Megatron was assumed as the leader. Even though I knew it was true, others did not share the information I held so they only made assumptions. Assumptions in which would taint the cause of Orion Pax. Six Laser and many other sites were all but rubble now. Sentinel Prime, in which I heard had been long tossed aside as an old worthless bot, had been kidnapped. All claiming to be under Megatron's order.

I worried about the hearing. Everything important, everything worth happening, would happen at that hearing. I prepared for this moment as much as I possibly could. Sometime within my campaign, many referred to themselves as Autobots, a term I had let slip from my lips once or twice during these speeches. Yet, I felt that whatever did happen would decide everything.

On top of that, I had been feeling a growing sense of emptiness. Whatever was keeping us from leaving this dimension and going home was soon to occur. When the portal to return home did show itself, we would have to go. My fear was that it would appear after the hearing, not allowing me to help Orion Pax with his new title. Or worse, it would appear before the hearing not allowing me to know what events would set this world into motion.

All things considered, there was one more thing on my mind. I, Artemis, had been avoiding Orion Pax. Phoenix had no ties to Orion besides a political one. It broke my heart to hear him ask where Artemis was. I dared not tell him that Phoenix and Artemis were one of the same. I dare not tell him that Artemis felt too defenseless against him to see him right now. Though, at some point, I would need to see him as Artemis. I wanted too.

I stood looking myself in the reflective surface of the wall. Now it was only two days before the meeting with the High Council and if I saw Orion Pax at all, it would have to be before then. I gazed at Artemis' face and was about to transform into Phoenix when I heard a voice behind me. It scared me because it sounded just like Orion.

"You should go see him today." Optimus said to me as I turned to him. I wondered if he truly got over the circumstances I had put his alternate dimension self under. "He needs a friend by his side today." When it looked like I needed further convincing, he continued and said the most deadly thing. "I need you with me today."

With that I completely caved. I went to the Well of All Sparks and back. I nodded sheepishly. Obviously he was over it. I began to walk out of the room when I heard him speak again. This time it wasn't in metaphor. He was truly talking about himself. I could barely hear it and I wondered if I was meant to. Though, I kept the words in a pocket to review another day.

I practically ran through Iacon to get to the Hall of Records. The Hall was completely surrounded, mostly to get a glimpse of the revolutionaries Orion Pax or Phoenix. I knew neither of them would fall into the clutches of this crowd today. They were both going to be preoccupied. I peeked into Orion's station to find him completely frozen. The work he was doing untouched. He seemed really stressed.

"Make sure to leave out any big words. The gladiators attending might not understand." I said and he turned abruptly.

"Artemis!" He was ecstatic and hugged me close. "For a second, I thought I had scared-"

"Nothing you did caused me to disappear. I was just, busy." I said to him though it was partially a lie.

"I thought you went back to your own dimension." He whispered and I realized how much I hurt him, or at least would hurt him. I shouldn't have dragged him into this, but now it was too late.

"Not yet," I stopped and knew that I could do better, "but soon." He was about to say something more, but I stopped him. "You must be terribly nervous."

"A lot is riding on this. And even if we do succeed, who knows how long it would take for any change to occur." He went back over to his research. I was happy he thought he would succeed. In a way he would, but not in a way that anyone would have hoped or wished for. Well, except for perhaps Megatron.

"Don't worry so much."

"How could you say that?"

"Because I know you'll do great." I tilted my head a little. He stared at me for a while. I wondered if he saw right through me. If he was trying to bring up a way to ask me what would happen, but then he spoke.

"It hurts." I was totally shocked by his words. Orion never complained of anything. He must have really been in pain.

"What does?"

"My spark." He frowned at me. I knew exactly how he felt. It was the exact feeling I had. We had grown fond of each other, but we knew I would leave soon. I had to tell him something.

"My planet is called Earth." I started. "A few millions of light-years away, but you'll find a space bridge…There's will be a girl on that planet. Maybe not now, but by the time you get there, there will be." I paused then went on. "Her name is Artemis and she'll grow up learning all about you. Hearing your stories and wanting to see you in person. Whenever I do go, know that someday we will meet again."

"Should you really be telling me this?" He said with an almost amusing tone.

"I don't know so let's keep this a secret from the Archivist shall we?" We both laughed and for a moment I didn't feel like everything were falling apart.

"Artemis," He paused giving me a chance to look at him. "Here" It was a charm necklace. It was small, but as a human it would be just perfect for a necklace.

"Why are you-?"

"I wanted to give you something to remember me by."

"Orion, you exist in my dimension too. I'm pretty sure I won't forget you."

"Please?" I stopped arguing and looked at the charm. "Jazz brought it back from one of his fashion scouts." We made fun of Jazz often for the work in fashion he did from time to time. It was rare, but also too hilarious to pass up.

"You hold onto it." Before Orion could object, I continued. "Keep it for during the hearing. It'll give you something to look forward to afterwards."

"Besides the new Cybertron?" My face instinctively turned gloomy.

"Yeah, besides that."

**Day of Hearing**

Artemis watched the others prepare themselves for the hearing. Soulseeker personally was excited to attend. For eons she was bound to the pits, now she was going to be a part of higher standings. Sam was equally excited, for different reasons. Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee admitted to only hear about the speech. They were truly ecstatic to get the chance to finally hear it for themselves. Drexel was ready to record it. A speech such as the one they'd hear would be worth hearing for all time.

Ratchet, Optimus, and Artemis, however, were riddled with anxiety. Ratchet looked out the window, watching the Gladiators begin to flood the streets. Optimus had a distraught look on his face. He was also looking out the window, but he was not focusing on any one thing specifically. Artemis watched the others, biting her thumb and trying to figure out what she would do.

"Artemis," Soulseeker brought her back from her day dream. Artemis looked over at her friend and waited for her to finish. "Will you go as Phoenix or Artemis?"

That was a very good question. Phoenix was a very well know Gladiator. Her words spread across all of Cybertron and many followed her. If Phoenix was found standing in the hearing, perhaps the cause would be taken seriously. However, Phoenix was a Gladiator. Technically she was a law breaker who was nothing more than a ruffian to most of a council and of the high caste. Even through the cause would be taken seriously; it may be for all the wrong reasons. Artemis was a Data Clerk in the Hall of Records. She was also know more as Alpha Trion's personal clerk which would be well-respected and any words she would say during the session would be heard accordingly. Though, Artemis was unknown and many could simply shrug off her words.

"Why not go as both?" Artemis said as she walked out the door.

**Outside the High Council Tower**

"Jazz!" Artemis waved down her friend as she approached the tower. "Where's Orion?"

"He's already inside." He answered, looking at the others following her.

"Good." She responded before turning to the others as well. "Well guys, this is it."

"I never thought I'd say this, but." Jazz began, choosing his words carefully. "I really hope that gladiator and him succeed."

"I hope so too Jazz. Come on, let's get inside." Artemis began to go inside, Jazz talked behind her.

"The room is filling up. I wouldn't be surprised if we'd have to stand along the back wall." As filled as the room was getting, very few went to the low balcony. They did not want to be anywhere near a dangerous Gladiator. The one's that did were strong supporters of Megatron who somehow found their way in. They sat in the middle low balcony. Orion would easily be able to spot them and Artemis, deciding in her head, would be able to assist him if things went sour.

Soon the space around the group began to fill up. Even the isles seem to contain massive amounts of Cybertronians. Artemis looked around and pointed out some of her followers. Many of them had a red streak painted on their right shoulder, symbolizing they were with Phoenix. She made sure that they knew that Phoenix would be there at the hearing, even if they couldn't see her.

Artemis turned back to the 'stage.' A single circular panel was on the ground, letting of a faint blue glow. It was to illuminate the speakers who were pleading their case to the High Council. Then she looked at the empty seats of the Council. They would not come out until the crowd was silent and Orion and Megatron stood before them. She counted the seats then smiled. Thirteen, how appropriate. Finally, the guests of honor walked out to the viewing floor.

**Artemis POV**

I watched Megatron and Orion Pax walk out side by side till they were behind the illuminating circle. I blushed slightly when I saw Orion clutching the charm in his palm. Optimus gazed over at me and I tilted my head to avoid him seeing. Finally I watched the council come to take their places at their seats. Halogen was the moderator.

_Good, _I thought. He would listen to reason and would stay open minded to the changes the two would propose. Halogen, I recalled from memory, was also a good friend of Alpha Trion. Surely, Orion Pax stood a good chance with him. I noticed Ratbat next and right away. His corrupt little body was always noticeable. I almost wished that Megatron would snap and pound some dents in him during the hearing, but I knew that would never happen. Ratbat after all, was known to me as a traitor.

Contrail, yet another member of Council, was another bot to worry about. He was unyielding to any change. He was also fairly tricky. He could make you say things you do not mean, turn your case against you. He was a Seeker to lookout for. Drivetrain, the fourth member of the Council in which the name I could recall, was stern. When he believed something it would take a fair amount of convincing to make him otherwise. Yet, he knew what it meant as a lower caste member. He came from construction so perhaps he would be someone, who would too, listen. The other members of eluded me. I could not recall any of their names for the spark of me.

One bot however, stood on the side of the wall on the viewing floor. I feared I knew his name even though his face was fuzzy to me, Sigil. He stood for everything Orion Pax and Megatron were trying to end, the Guilds. The very group in which assigned bots to their castes the moment they emerged from the Well. If things went well, Sigil would suffer the most from it. He was an arrogant fool in which more than once I had heard his name spill from the lips of crying bots. He was trouble.

I heard the gavel knock against the podium in which Halogen stood behind. I snapped to attention and heard the beep of Drexel's recorder. It was finally starting. I contained myself as the councilmen brought forth Megatron and bashed his profession to bits. Megatron did not do well trying to convince the High Council that he was not a ruffian crook. He denied the association with the recent events, but did so very unconvincingly. As Sigil began to speak, I felt Optimus' servo touch my shoulder.

_Yes,_ I thought. _I would remain silent. _It was hard though. He spoke of the happiness bots have expressed from the caste system. He told the council that if there was no such thing, the bots emerging from the Well of Allsparks or even those walking among us, would be lost. I leaned forward a little, ready to speak against it. Halogen's gavel stopped me.

"What says you, Orion Pax, clerk at the Hall of Records in Iacon?" Halogen watched the clerk as I did go into the blue light and prepare himself to speak.

"First I'd say that Sigil makes know friends among unhappy Cybertronians because he is as pompous as any Spark ever has been." Orion Pax said sharply. I felt a smile crawl onto my face. I looked at Optimus who seemed embarrassed at how his younger self was so rash then looked over at Jazz who seemed as amused as I was. "You claim for the Guilds the power to determine the lives of ever Cybertronian. Is this what the Thirteen would have wanted? If it an coincidence that as the Guilds rose in power and the caster became entrenched, Cybertron lost contact with the rest of the Transformer worlds? As you confine each Cybertronian into a smaller might want, you create a world in which no one knows how to imagine to look beyond anymore. No one knows how to imagine."

"I can imagine an end to this session." Ratbat announced which started a bout of laughter. I looked around and clenched my teeth. That was it!

"How easily you make jokes about an issue so serious! It only shows how little you really know!" I stood up and called out. The laughter stopped instantly as eyes drew on me. The Council peered at me briefly and few showed signs of even guilt. Ratbat, however, gave me a scowl and I glared right back at him. Orion Pax smiled at me slightly.

_Thank you. _He mouthed as I sat down and nodded with a smile. Optimus gave me a look and I only smiled back. I knew we weren't supposed to interfere this time, but we've already changed so much in this dimension. Jazz placed a hand on my shoulder. He was glad someone had the guts to do what he wanted to so badly.

"Fellow Cybertronians, members of the council, hear me!" Orion began drawing the attention of everyone back to him. "Megatron speaks harshly, but true. He has seen the truth of life for many Cybertronians whose lives are all too often invisible, and if he is angry, it is anger born of love for an idea and Spark-deep pain at our failure for that ideal." He paused slightly letting the words sink in and to allow other's to understand the one he considered a brother. "The recent attacks were savage and inexcusable, yet they were only symptoms. The unrest spreading across Cybertron will not stop with those attacks because it is the natural expression of a people who for too long have been held in check, their potential forever unrealized because of the false constraints of caste and Guild."

"You're a wonderful speaker." I whispered to Optimus and for one small moment, I thought I saw him blush. I smiled and looked back at Orion who continued to speak.

"It is natural for a being born with Spark to know that it should be free. And it is natural that Cybertronians, who are born to change from one form to another, should want to be able to change from their roles within Cybertronian society as a whole. If castes and Guilds fight change, they fight our nature AND the nature of Cybertron itself! The absence of change is not stability. It is entropy. Only dead things stay the same." Orion looked over the faces of the High Council as he spoke.

I however, looked at Megatron. He was becoming more and more upset. His face turned from one of victory to one of betrayal. This was obviously not what he believed in when he thought of an ideal world. It was at this moment that he noticed how far off their two minds really were. It was at that moment I knew what path this hearing would take.

"No Cybertronian is simply the mechanical sum of his parts. From the smallest Minicon to the mightiest combiner, from the simplest data processor to the scientists who teach us the laws of the universe, each of us contains a living Spark that makes us who we are, not simply what we are. The Spark within us awakens us to the possibility of freedom. It is what makes us alive to the idea that might choose what we shall become as each of you did, Councilors. Why should we not? One bot's freedom can never be given or taken away by another. This goes against the very nature of the Spark, the very nature of Cybertron itself." Orion paused and heard the chatter of the crowd.

I saw Optimus tense. He knew the speech by spark I'm sure. Something about what Orion Pax would say next had him nervous. Then I heard the words come out of Orion's mouth.

"In the past, in times of great need, noble Cybertronians rose to become Prime and lead our civilization out of crisis. Most recently, Sentinel Prime, once one of this chamber's honorable Elite Guards, untied all Cybertronians against a dire threat. High Councilors fought alongside smelters and data clerks then, to drive off an invader. What did this invader want? To enslave us, to turn us into property to deprive us of our fundamental Spark-given right of self-determination. Have we driven the Quintessons off only to enslave ourselves by caste and Guild? And will we crush this new movement towards freedom, sacrificing freedom for order? I say no. Order achieved through force can never be true peace. There can be no true peace through tyranny. The time has come for all Cybertronians to be untied again, and I say we need a new Prime to unite us. We do not need a Prime who moves us as we were parts of a great machine, who demands that we be drones and slaves as the price of a peace that is only stasis. The Guildmasters and Keepers of the Castes fo that more than adequately, and look where they have gotten us. Cybertron needs a leader of the free, a Prime who recognizes that all Cybertronians are autonomous robots, owned by no one but themselves, masters of their own fates. I say it again. Autonomous robots!"

While Orion was talking, I noticed a smirk grow on Megatron's face. Something was cooking in that twisted brain of his. I looked over at Optimus who gave me no hints to what it was. I wished I could fully enjoy the speech. It was, after all, the speech that would light many sparks. However, I had become preoccupied with the growing sense of danger in the room. There were so many Decepticons.

"We will remember this moment, in this Council Chamber, as the moment where free robots broke the welds of oppression that had taken the beauty of the Spark away from us. We are all autonomous robots today. Autobots, if we need a name to rally around, and we Autobots declare that a Spark once freed will never again stand to be oppressed. You must choose a new Prime today. Choose well, for a Prime might either lead Cybertron to a new golden era in our history, or stand by as the dark energies of anger and resentment explode into planet-wide chaos and war. Members of the council, the choice is yours. I wish you wisdom." I noted the respectable way he said that versus the outburst he began with. "For Cybertron! Autobots!"

"AUTOBOTS!" I was one of the first to respond to Orion's call to the crowd. I looked around and saw my followers shocked. They now realized what Phoenix meant when she said that she would be here whether they saw her or not. They were now firmly behind Orion Pax. I heard the crowd begin to echo; even Megatron's most loyal follows chanted it into the air.

"AUTOBOTS! AUTOBOTS! AUTOBOTS!" It took many swings of the gavel to hush the gallery back into silence. My smile would not wipe off my face as I heard them roar. Finally the crowd went silent as Halogen thought long and hard along with his fellow Council members to think of a response.

"There is more to this than the name in which you call your revolution Autobots or Decepticons, Orion Pax." He looked at the waiting Gladiator. "Your action thus far has the planet on a course of War, Megatron. And your actions Orion Pax have contributed as much to the current crisis as his have." Halogen watched Orion's face sadden as he nodded.

"Yes, Councilor."

"However," Everyone's heard perked up as Halogen began to speak again. "I believe the question of freedom has lain dormant for far too long. We, as the High Council, must accept our share of the blame for this. I express my regret to you, Citizens of Cybertron, for my failure to see the pent up anger caused by the caste system." Ratbat began to object, but Halogen gave a stern look. Ratbat knew that whatever he had to say was irrelevant for, it was their fault. "Normally, the duty would fall to Sentinel Prime. However-"

"He's missing." Sigil finished in which Halogen nodded.

"If times are as dire as you say, do not waste time with elaborate speeches! Speak to us plainly and directly." Megatron shouted. I wondered if it was because he was frustrated with taking the extra time to figure out what they say or if he was simply that impatient.

"Then I will speak as plainly and directly as I may." Halogen said sharply at the rudeness of the Gladiator. "The Matrix of Leadership is on Cybertron through it has not been seen in these many billions of cycles. According to the Archivist, Alpha Trion, it may be found in these turbulent times, and it will lead all Cybertronians through a new age. Though it only has a tendency to discover those who have the innate qualities necessary to claim it rather than granting itself to those who might discover it. That is why," We all almost felt off our seats waiting for the answer. Except of course, us.

"Yes." I could see Megatron mouth. Oh Megatron, you're going to be so disappointed.

"Orion Pax, upon you we place the quest for the Matrix of Leadership." Halogen finished. Silence followed by a rumble of whispers followed the decision. I smiled and nodded, just the way it should be and looked at Optimus.

"Congrats." I joked to him and he smiled slightly. I saw Jazz's jaw practically drop to the ground. Perhaps a little warning should have been granted to him, but why ruin the surprise?

"Excuse me?" Orion Pax answered completely shocked. I'm not sure he believed he heard right.

"The Matrix of Leadership is yours to seek, because from this moment forward," Halogen paused and then continued. "You are Optimus Prime. Unite Cybertron and all Cybertronians. Usher in this new era you have spoken so eloquently."

"But I am not worthy of this." Orion Pax said in what level tone he could muster.

I looked back and, as I expected, Alpha Trion was standing in the darkness of the door. The sly fox didn't tell Orion at all about his plan. Though, I guess I could have mentioned it to him as well. In my Spark, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy. In my head however, I felt doom closing in. I could hear Megatron's voice begin to boom in the room and I got up sharply.

"Artemis, where you going?" Sam said as Artemis brushed past her.

"Alpha Trion needs to speak with me." I said his name for this first time since coming here. Things were getting serious real fast.

**Council Chamber**

"A fine show of humility! My friend Orion Pax came here saying that he wanted to play peacemaker! He asked me come under a banner of friendship and trust." Megatron paused then extended his arms to the crowd. "Now I see what he really wanted as power!" The crowd answered, their voices becoming outraged at Orion Pax.

"I did not want this! I still do not want it! My preference is to remain a clerk. But I respect the High Council and I respect our tradition. If they say I am Optimus Prime, then I will fulfill the role expected of me. You believe me, don't you brother?" Orion Pax' face was filled with sorrow.

"I believed you before brother." Megatron said, leading Orion on. "Optimus Prime, does it not hold the ring of leadership? Does Cybertron not call our in its hour of need and find…a data clerk?" He mocked in which Orion became concerned.

"Brother."

"BOTHER NO MORE!" Megatron turned to the audience with an actor's outrage. "Optimus Prime is but a new autocrat to keep the High Council safe behind their podiums and to keep Cybertron safe for the Guildmasters and caste overseers who keep the lower caste down in the pits! WILL YOU YET STAY IN THE PITS?"

"NO!" The crowd answered. Sam stood up in outrage.

"That dirty little." Sam growled, joined by Jazz and Ratchet. Arcee and Bulkhead saw it coming. Optimus seemed distracted by the location of Artemis who was gone from his sight. Drexel was busy documenting.

"WILL YOU FALL INTO PLACE BEHIND OPTIMUS PRIME, THE CREATURE OF THE HIGH COUNCIL, WHO WILL KEEP YOU THERE?!"

"NO!" How quickly Orion's plea was forgotten. How fast people went to Megatron's side.

"You see brother? They do not want you control, they want to be free." Megatron half grinned.

"I do not wish to control them! I believe freedom is the right of all sentient beings!" Orion shouted.

"LIES!" Megatron said back and the crowd repeated.

"YOU WILL YEILD!" Halogen shouted and Megatron looked up at him. "You will not speak to a Prime that way." He was shocked when Megatron aimed his blaster at him. Many from the crowd cocked them weapons as well, aiming at the Council members. Elite Guard flooded the room quickly, ready to take on Megatron. Orion Pax stood in front of them.

"Stop!" Orion Pax saw them hesitate. "Do not fire at him. If I am Prime, and I command this, you must obey." He saw them lower their weapons. He felt an overwhelming sense of assurance. Perhaps he was fit to lead.

"You think I will hesitate because you are a Prime?!" Megatron brought his weapon to Orion, it charged and for a second he was prepared to fire. "Decepticons! Stand down for now." They all lowered their weapons. He would not kill Orion Pax. No. Optimus Prime, so quickly. Megatron then without warning fired his blaster above the Councilmen's heads then transformed.

The High Council was too startled to defend themselves. The only two who seemed un-phased and prepared to react were Ratbat and Contrail, who transformed and flew up through the hole made in the ceiling. Optimus finally caught sight of Artemis. Phoenix, using her wings to protect Halogen from the rubble that fell. She looked up as the Decepticons flew through the hole following Megatron. Halogen allowed Phoenix to set him to the viewing floor and separate from the rubble. The other Council members, however, were dead.

"Artemis!" Alpha Trion called from his place in the balcony where few still lingered. "Go after the Ratbat and Contrail!"

"Artemis?" Orion Pax looked up at Phoenix who nodded and took off after them.

"Orion." Alpha Trion caught his old student's attention, unable to get himself to call him by his new name. "To the Hall of Records."

Orion Pax nodded and went with Halogen towards the Hall of Records. The Autobots, who stood shocked, closely followed.

**Artemis POV**

I chased after Ratbat and Contrail. The information they held was too valuable to allow them to get away. I flew faster and faster until I was right on their thrusters. I saw the people of Iacon look up at me, some of them running in fear of the Decepticons; others were heading towards the Hall of Records. A side effect of my followers, when they saw my silhouette in the sky, the instinctively began to gather at the steps of the Hall.

"Artemis!" I was surprised to hear Orion talking to me. I slowed down slightly at his voice. "Don't kill them!" I paused for a second, staring at their thrusters.

"As you wish Optimus Prime." I finally responded and sped up to finally catch up with the two. She landed on Contrail's wings and felt him try to rock in order to dislodge her. "He said I couldn't kill you. Doesn't mean I'm going to let you get away."

"Get fragged wheel grinder." I looked in and found Ratbat hovering above me.

"And you called yourselves members of the High Council." I grabbed Contrail's left wing and dropped down so that he would become unbalanced by the weight. After spinning all the way around, I grabbed Ratbat's other wing and brought him down too. "Have a nice fall!" I tore at their wings enough that when I finally let go, they began to crash to the ground. "Say hi to the Elite Guard for me!"

I started heading back to the Hall of Records. By now Megatron and his Decepticons were half way to Kaon. Bots scrambled and threatened to turn into mass hysteria. I noticed Alpha Trion, Halogen, Orion, Jazz, and the others waiting for me at the steps as I circled the Hall, preparing to land. I landed and immediately turned into Artemis. Orion and Jazz were dumbfounded. Yes, finally they knew were both the same bot.

"Artemis Prime, you did well." Alpha Trion spoke and for once I wished he'd stay silent, for Jazz and Orion were still adapting.

"Alpha Trion, I am honored, but I am no Prime."

"You are worthy enough to bare that title." Halogen said and I bowed my head slightly. Apparently Alpha Trion had brought him up to speed. Orion walked up to me and I smiled slightly.

"So you're. And Phoenix is. And you're a-" He stumbled, still absorbing it all.

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier." I smiled slightly and rubbed the back of my helm. "Optimus, did anyone else get hurt?"

"I don't-" Orion began, but I shook my head and pointed to Optimus.

"No, that Optimus." I saw him stiffen slightly.

"You mean he's…me?"

"Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. But that doesn't mean you can start bossing me around just because you're my boss." I laughed looking at Optimus with a smile.

"Artemis." Alpha Trion drew us all back in. "We must find the Matrix of Leadership." I looked at Optimus. The whole time he believed we should interfere as little as possible, but perhaps this time it must be different. He nodded and looked at Orion, pulling him aside to talk.

"Artemis." Sam started; I looked over my shoulder at her and frowned. "It's here."

"Scrap." I turned around and stared at the portal. Alpha Trion didn't say goodbye, he took Orion after Optimus was finished talking with him and distracted him from us. He wouldn't let Orion Pax say good bye either.

"Come on Artemis." Arcee grabbed my servo when she noticed I was moving towards the portal.

"I did what I could. They'll follow him now." I looked over at the crowd which was getting closer to the steps. "They'll fight for the Autobot cause." I lowered my head and nodded. "Let's go home."

I only got a glimpse of Orion Pax, no Optimus Prime, when I turned to look at him as the portal closed. He looked sad. I knew that he'd become a great leader. I began walking through the portal to get to the other side. The others were just as heavy. They were leaving their world in the moment last moments of peace.

"Thank you." Optimus put a hand on my shoulder and I smiled.

"No, thank you. Orion." I smiled and he was surprised when I called him by his past name. I nodded at him and he went to lead them back to their world. I started to walk when I heard Orion's voice. I looked at Optimus and saw his back turned. It wasn't him. I heard it again. He was calling my name, pleading to see me again.

I looked around trying to find the source of the voice. Drexel saw me fidgeting and came to my side, holding me servo. All of a sudden, I felt something pulling at me. Then, without warning, Drexel and I began to fall.

"Artemis!" Sam turned and went to reach for me, but I was far from her reach. It was obvious that I wasn't going home yet. The others became engulfed in light slightly before Drexel and myself. Where was I off to now?


	34. Ch 34: Alternate Dimension

The Human Prime

Chapter 34: Alternate Universe

"I think we're finally home. Though, we lost Artemis again and now Drexel too!" Sam frowned as she rubbed her head. Did traveling through the vortex really have to be so painful?

"I don't think so Sam." Bulkhead said as he too came to.

"Why?" She turned to find the Autobots once again humanized. "Damn it!"

"Where are we now?" Arcee mumbled, lifting herself off the ground.

"Maybe we're in the past again." Sam stood up and dusted herself off. She looked around and found Optimus a ways off looking around.

"Well, it certainly looks like Jasper." Ratchet said and groaned as he lifted himself up.

"Pit stop?" Bulkhead asked as his stomach gave off a rumbling noise.

"Ha-ha, yeah I'm starving. Let's eat!" She looked back over at Optimus and found him gone. "Where's Optimus go?"

"I think he went towards town." Arcee helped Ratchet up. Sam took off in order to maybe catch up with Optimus. "S-Sam! Wait up!"

They managed to find Optimus stopped at the side of a road. He looked over at a formation of rocks. It was, or would be, their base. While they did know where they were now, they also knew it was a ways from the town. Regardless they started walking. Sam noticed a truck and held up her thumb. The bots were confused when the action caused the truck to stop and permitted them a ride to the truck. Sam suggested they shouldn't do that, ever, unless an emergency.

"K.O Burger!" Sam pointed as she slammed her fist against the roof of the truck. The truck stopped and let them jump out from the back.

"Do you eat anything, but fast food?" Arcee rolled her eyes and followed Sam in.

"A meal fit for kings Arcee. Why would you change that?" She was about to approach the counter when she saw Jack, but he looked like the real Jack. Where they home? "Jack?" He was talking to his boss who was observing some newbie working at the register.

"That doesn't make sense. If we're really back home, why are we human?" Arcee looked at Jack and indeed it must have been their Jack.

"Perhaps we are in yet another Alternate Dimension." Ratchet rubbed his chin, thinking it over.

"Man! Are we ever getting home?!" Sam complained and sighed.

"Well, what kind of world is it this time?" Bulkhead said, but was sniffing the scent of cooked Burgers.

"Let us refuel and then go over the details." Optimus interrupted before Ratchet could begin. A symphony of his team's stomachs suggested that it was best to do things in that exact order.

They all ordered food, thank goodness for Sam who seemed to still have money, and ate. They tried not to make any eye contact with Jack which was easy since he worked at the Drive thru. After finishing, the debated whether they should ask someone the date. It would solidify that they are in fact in another dimension rather than in the past. They didn't need to finish arguing.

"Am I seeing things?" Arcee said, drawing everyone's eyes out the window. There were two girls, twins, walking down the side walk. They were laughing, holding hands. They seemed so happy.

"Is that-" Bulkhead began.

"It can't be, can it?" Ratchet finished.

"It is. It's Artemis." Optimus confirmed their eyes.

"And Mira." Sam growled as she got up to go confront them.

"Wait, Sam!" The other's immediately stood up and followed her out. They grabbed her before she could cross the street.

"This is a different dimension Sam. We cannot make assumptions about what we know nothing." Optimus said, still trying to force her to keep low.

"Then what do we do?" Sam growled as she watched the twins walk down the street.

"Nothing."

"But Optimus!"

"We don't know the circumstances of this world." He said and eased her back onto the side walk. "Let's try and focus on getting back to our world." She waited and then finally sighed.

"Okay Optimus. Okay."

**Library**

They sat and read, but couldn't find anything that would help them in this specific situation. Though, they doubted they would. Arcee stared into space multiple times. Finally, Sam slammed her book shut, but it didn't get her attention. She nudged Bulkhead and showed him Arcee. They both tried to get her attention, but it still didn't work. Arcee finally turned her head and looked at them.

"Huh?"

"What are you staring at?"

"Someone's got a crush on Optimus." Arcee pointed in the direction she's been staring briefly.

They all turned, even Optimus and found Artemis standing in an aisle. She would stare at some books then quickly look at Optimus, then look back. Sam smiled and nudged Bulkhead. This was perfect. They could invite Artemis to sit with them thereby keeping her away from Mira. Maybe, even, get some information about the dimension they're in. Sam, without permission or informing anyone of her plan, walked over to Artemis.

"Hey, do you want to come sit with us?" Sam put on a smile which might have come off as more creepy than nice.

"Um, no that's okay." Artemis backed up into the book shelf and fumbled to keep the books from falling off the shelf.

"Why not?" Sam frowned and watched her try and make up a reason.

"We're not supposed to talk in the library." Artemis finally said before preparing to walk off with a book in hand. She didn't get far before Sam hooked her arm pulled her towards the others. She tried to get out her grip, but Sam sat her down at the table before she could get away. "Uh, hi."

"Hi, I'm Arcee." Arcee extended her hand to her which was enough for Artemis to feel a little bit better.

"Bulkhead." Bulkhead reached over to shake her hand, but she couldn't seem to stop giggling long enough over his name to take his hand.

"Ratchet." Ratchet went and shook her hand after she stopped laughing. Finally, Optimus extended his hand towards her.

"I am Optimus." She took his hand hesitantly. She stared at him for a while before letting go of his hand.

"Artemis." She said after a while, but she was still staring at him. A loud shush came from a librarian assistant. They sat in silence. Artemis felt comfortable enough to sit with them while she read the book she got from the shelf. Every once in a while she'd look up at Optimus and smile. He was reading too, but even he would look up at her and wonder what she was thinking.

"Hey, Artemis."

"Hm?" She looked up at Sam who was leaning against her book.

"Where do you live?"

"I live my parents and my sister. Up that long road leading into the woods." Artemis put her book down and folded her arms. "What about you?"

"We live in an old airplane hangar."

"Oh, is your dad a pilot?"

"We're not related, but you can say that." Sam shrugged, turning things into a lie.

"How is your relationship with you sister?" Arcee mentioned, getting to the topic that everyone wanted to hear.

"We're fine. Inseparable really. Our parents were really too busy for us so, we took care of ourselves." Artemis smiled and brushed her hand against the covering of the book.

"Until now." Sam giggled, but then Artemis pointed past them. They all looked to the where she was pointing and found Mira, just sitting in at a table at the far end of the library. Sam stared at Mira for a long time, giving her a dirty look. However, Mira looked completely un-phased and sickeningly sweet. She waved over to her sister and gave thumbs up as if in approval.

Artemis blushed slightly and hid her face in her long sleeves. Sam, however, wanted to get away from her. She stood up and walked off, the scars with Mira just ran too deep. Bulkhead went after her to try and bring her back. Arcee moved so she could sit next to Artemis and continued a conversation.

"Artemis, what does your dad exactly do?" Arcee asked learning into her elbows.

"He's into technology." Artemis placed her book on the table, wanting to go join her sister. Ratchet snapped into attention as if something had suddenly occurred to them. He stopped Artemis from going to her sister.

"Maybe you could help us." He continued by explaining a situation as if he was working on a science project. "Do you think we could look at some of your father's work?"

"Well, he doesn't really like anyone looking at his research." She frowned and dared not meet his eye. Optimus saw Ratchet's objective and believed it to be a good idea. He stood up and approached Artemis with an extended hand.

"Please, you would be assisting us greatly." His eyes were soft, allowing no pressure in her response. She looked at him for a long time then looked away embarrassed. She was so…different. While their Artemis would have taken initiative by now, this one would quietly flow in the crowd. She wasn't a leader like their Artemis was, though she really didn't need to be.

"Okay." Artemis whimpered and was startled when Optimus and Ratchet took her hand.

**Artemis' Home**

"This way, oh and be quiet." Artemis told them as she led them down a staircase leading to the basement. She was timid and stepped down the stairs one at a time. Finally, Sam brushed past her in order to get to the bottom. Artemis clung to Optimus when the others began to follow Sam and almost push her out of the way. He was frankly surprised at how impatient his bots were with this Artemis.

"Whoa!" Sam's jaw dropped. Never did she expect so much technology to be packed within a small space.

"D-don't touch anything!" Artemis called out after them as they began to disperse to look at individual pieces. She frowned when they barely listened.

"Autobots!" Optimus announced almost angrily. Despite the short time they had to get out of this particular dimension, it didn't mean that they should be rude to their host.

"Autobots?" Artemis looked up at Optimus and he sheepishly smiled.

"Artemis!" Sam said sharply in order to distract her from the topic. "Why are you so shy and stuff? I mean, it's not like you're not strong."

"Actually, I'm not. You see, my body is immune compromised. I have terrible health and my strength is below that of an average person." Artemis frowned. Finally it all made sense to the Autobots. This dimension, why Artemis and Mira got along so well, why they still had a family, what made things different from their home. Mira and Artemis' roles were switched. Artemis was the one who was sick. So in a way, they should really be looking after her. Though, she was so shy, they wouldn't suspect her of anything.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't." Sam looked away, feeling even more like a fool. She could see the look in Optimus' eyes screaming I told you so, though, not in that exact phrasing. Ratchet pulled Arcee and Bulkhead aside and whispered in their ears. The two of them looped Artemis' arms and began talking about requesting some refreshments.

"Optimus." Ratchet approached his friend and help up a device that looked similar to a television remote. "We might be able to open up a portal back home if I rewire this. Though, it could take some time."

"Time is something we don't have Ratchet. We need to go find our Artemis. Not only that, but this dimension's Artemis' parents could be here any minute!" Sam declared and looked over at the stairs to make sure Artemis wasn't back yet.

"Just distract her until I can make some adjustments!" Ratchet yelled back at her. Sam took the hint and ran up the stairs to join the others. She didn't expect to almost run into Mira. Not knowing if Mira would rat on them or not, she hit behind a wall and waited to see if she'd pass. She didn't expect to hear her talking.

"So, you're telling me that if I kill Artemis, my parents will adore me and make me their heir?" Mira folded her arms at the visitor.

"Exactly, how do you think I managed to get all the way to this dimension in order to tell you?" Sam immediately recognized the voice. The dark tint in the tone, the lust for power in each syllable, it was Mira. Their Mira.

"I don't know, I mean. She is my sister."

"And after you kill her, you can get Mom and Dad to adopt ten more sisters. She is disposable Mira. Besides, she'll understand." Mira lowered her hand on the shoulder of her alternate self and smiled. "And remember those people I've told you about."

"The big one, the lady, the chief, the guy playing doctor, and the chick." Sam scoffed at the word chick. Why chick? Was she no good enough to be a little bit more described? She kept listening however. "They're dangerous."

"If they get in your way, kill them too."

"So much blood on my hands."

"Don't worry me. You can always wash it off with the money you get being the new heir to the Prax' fortune."

"I'll do it." Mira finally said, waving her hand at their Mira. "Get out of here, will you? My sister should be here any second."

Sam covered her mouth and looked around. She needed to find the guys. She searched high and low, but couldn't find them anywhere. Finally, she saw them outside the house, pointing up at the sky. She ran out to them, but they tried to act as calmly as possible. She coughed once, twice, finally they turned.

"Can I talk to my pals for a second?" Sam gave a fake smile and Artemis nodded slightly with a smile. Arcee and Bulkhead came over to Sam's side. "Mira's going to try to kill Artemis."

"Sam." Arcee said with an annoyed tone.

"No, no! I just saw our dimension's Mira." The two bots in human form stared seriously at Sam. This was bad. "She convinced this dimension's Mira to try and kill Artemis."

"Well, we need to tell her." Bulkhead said as if it were obvious.

"Artemis doesn't know we're from another dimension and she trusts Mira with her life. She wouldn't believe us." Arcee argued.

"Well we can't just do nothing." He answered back.

"We need to go tell Optimus." Arcee finally said after thinking it over. "If he agrees we should tell Artemis, he's the best one to tell her anyways."

"What about Artemis?" Sam looked past them at Artemis who was standing a ways back, waiting patiently.

"Stay here with her. We'll go tell Optimus."

"O-okay." Sam finally muttered as they ran off.

**Lab**

"Are you sure?" Optimus asked his soldier as they finished relaying him the news.

"Positive. Artemis is in trouble." Bulkhead repeated. "We have to tell her."

"She won't believe us anyways. We should keep her out of harm's way by just keeping her away from Mira." Arcee argued.

"Despite that, we must attempt. She needs to understand what we have gotten her into. She needs to know." Optimus concluded and looked over at Ratchet. "We must tell her where we are from."

"Don't bother." Everyone turned and saw Artemis standing there, Sam frowning behind her.

"I couldn't stop her." Sam frowned and rubbed her neck.

"My sister would never kill me." Artemis began. "She would never! A-and you all, are from some other dimension. Y-yeah right. Even if that was true, why involve me? Huh!" She almost screamed out.

"Artemis, your-"

"No, just." She stopped them. "Just get out."

"Wait, don't be like that." Sam went to touch Artemis' shoulder but she shrugged her off.

"OUT!" Artemis shouted and pointed to the stairs. They were dazed for a second. They looked amongst themselves before finally heading towards the stairs. Optimus was the last to leave. She looked at him briefly before looking away.

**Outside**

The door slammed shut behind them. Optimus looked back at the door and wondered what actions they should take. Bulkhead suggested that he break down the door. Of course he was immediately shot down. Ratchet mostly complained about losing their ticket out of this dimension, but no one really paid attention to him.

"There's nothing we can do." Optimus finally said, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's stay close, that way if she does need us. We'll be there." He started walking down the drive way. After a few minutes of minor shock, the others followed too.

"How do we get out of here?" Ratchet asked, driving his argument forward.

"Maybe if we just wait, the portal will open." Sam suggested. Right then, without warning, they heard a scream. "Damn it, I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! ARTEMIS?!"

They all ran the short distance back to the house. Artemis was on the ground, crawling away from Mira, their Mira. Optimus had an angry look on his face. He approached Mira with both fists held up to his waist. He shouted her name, getting her attention. Mira immediately looked up at the humanized Autobot leader and found a fist connecting with her cheek.

"Artemis, come here!" Arcee waved her arms for Artemis come over. Artemis answered by crawling hastily over to them.

"Hate to say we told you so, but-" Sam started.

"Sam don't." Arcee warned then began to push Artemis towards the woods. "Run."

"You're out of your league Prime!" Mira let Optimus swing his fist at her once again. She leaned back just enough then countered with her own right hook to his chin. "I've been fighting as a human much longer than you have." She turned her head to herself who was sitting there waiting. "What are you doing? Don't just stand there. Go after them!" She turned back to Optimus and found him running towards the forest. "Tsk, so much trouble."

Optimus ran through the forest, seeing the backs of his group. He informed them to keep running, not to stop. He was surprised that when the forest grew thin, they did stop. He paused and looked at them for a moment, wondering what they were waiting for. Then he saw. The portal to take them home.

"Why does this thing show up at the worst times?" Arcee complained.

"Wait, Artemis!" Sam turned to her and pointed to the portal. "Come with us. You'll be safe there."

"Sam, we don't know what that would do to our dimension." Ratchet gestured to the portal as well, leaning his head to the side.

"Well we can be here with no trouble, why can't the reverse be true? Come on Artemis, come with us." Sam smiled and offered her a hand.

"I was mean to you. I didn't believe you." Artemis frowned.

"Eh, friends forgive and forget." Sam jerked her open hand.

"I would love to, but-"

"But?"

"I can't." Artemis smiled slight and looked up at them. They were all together now. The portal was beginning to pull them in. "Mira…was my whole life. Despite what you said being true, living a life without family sounds…lonely."

Sam's eyes widened. While the words this dimension's Artemis was saying sounded like a death wish, they gave her a realization. Was Artemis, their Artemis, really happy? Was Artemis lonely? She had no family, her life had basically been shaped to revolve around the Autobots and their war, and she had expectations forced upon her since the day she was born. Maybe, she was lonely.

Sam didn't have time to argue. The portal pulled them in and caused them all to slip into the portal one by one. She reached out to Artemis, but she didn't come. Sam watched as the two Mira's approached her from behind, knives in hand, and blood lust in their eyes. She would never know for certain is that Artemis made it, but she was sure there was no way she could have.


	35. Ch 35: General of War

The Human Prime

Chapter 35: General of War

Sam touched her face, still thinking about the other Artemis. She was surprised to hear metal brushing against metal. She was a Cybertronian again. Despite her excitement to being a bot again, the recent situation had put a damper on her mood. The bots were already up, stretching their gears.

"Ah, much better." Ratchet let out a content sigh as he rotated his shoulder. Sam groaned and rolled over onto her stomach.

"Where are we now?" She poked at the ground and sighed heavily.

"Well most likely we're back on Cybertron." Ratchet said almost too obviously.

"The same Cybertron?" She finally got up and folded her arms.

"It's hard to be sure." He looked around. The golden hue from the last time they visited was gone. However, when they left, the war had just begun. Perhaps this was the same dimension.

"Putting that aside, we'll probably find Artemis here." Arcee said what was on everyone's mind.

"Most likely." He confirmed.

"Well then let's go." Sam turned only to find herself face to face with an Insecticon. "Where'd he come from?!"

"Sam, move!" Arcee charged her blaster, ready to take a shot when it was clear, but the monster pinned Sam down against the ground. "Damn it!"

"Who called an exterminator?" A voice, a femme's voice, announced before landing a solid kick to the Insecticon's side. "Filthy vermin."

"Wow, thanks." Sam said in amazement of her savior.

"Are you guys new from the Guard or something? Cause even a sparkling knows not to wander off into an open battle field." The femme said condescendingly, making the other Autobots feel a bit annoyed at her. The Insecticon stirred gaining her attention. "Hold that thought."

The femme jumped on top of the Insecticon, blades drawn, and began stabbing into it. The bots went to step into help, but the femme only sneered at them and insisted they leave the dirty work to her. Ratchet put a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"No doubt, we are on Cybertron during the war." He told his friend, trying not to look at the brutal slaughter of the Insecticon.

"But when?" Optimus wanted to intervene with the femme's show of ruthlessness, but he wondered if it was his place. This wasn't his dimension.

"Does it matter?" Ratchet responded and Optimus agreed. It didn't. "We can't be certain of this being the same dimension until we see some familiar faces."

"Orion." Sam mentioned.

"Excuse me?" He looked at Sam oddly.

"Orion would know us and where Orion is, Artemis can't be far behind." She shrugged.

"Technically, he would be Optimus Prime now, but she's right. Artemis would seek out Optimus in order to assist with the war." He looked back at the femme who seemed to be finished taking out her anger on the Insecticon husk. "Maybe she can lead us to him."

"Excuse me, but, where are we?" Optimus finally spoke to the femme, causing her to turn towards him.

"Your right outside Argentex." The femme tilted her head towards the city that they hadn't taken notice to before. "Name's StarBurn."

"Do you know anyone by the name of Optimus Prime?" Ratchet began and the femme scoffed at him.

"You're kidding right? Of course I know him; I'm not a lug nut." StarBurn folded her arms and tilted her head.

"Do you think you could take us to him?" He asked as politely as possible.

"Ha, yeah, sure. Let's just waltz right out and go see him now." She rolled her eyes and started walking back to the city.

"Really?" Sam smiled big, but the femme gave her an angry look.

"No! Not really! See out there?" She pointed opposite the city. "Right out there somewhere is a group of Decepticons, waiting to strike. We are under siege! I don't even know how you circuit suckers manage to get in here!"

Sam frowned and hid behind Bulkhead. This femme wasn't really friendly. Just then, the Insecticon's head popped up next to StarBurn. She turned and let out a loud gasp then clung to her chest. Laughter echoed from inside the Insecticon's head as a small femme pried his out of it. Sam and Bulkhead began laughing as well.

"Comet, you- you almost gave me a spark attack!" StarBurn shouted.

"Aw, come on Star, it was just a joke." The small femme gave a shrug along with a crooked smile.

"We're in a war! It's NOT funny." StarBurn marched off furiously, stomping as she walked.

"You guys should follow us. You'll be safer in the city." The femme smiled and took Sam's hand. "Hi, I'm CometStreak. But everyone just calls me Comet."

"Hi." Sam smiled and watched the bot began skipping back towards the city.

"Come on!"

**Argentex**

"I'm going to take you to the commander, then I'm going to pick up some Energon for us, kay?" Comet walked backwards in order to speak to her guests. StarBurn stayed far in front in order to stay away from the newbies.

"Who's the commander of this unit?" Optimus asked, looking at the buildings they passed that looked so broken down. It was obvious this city was under attack before it was under siege.

"I call him Scarface." She smiled goofily before turning around to walk correctly. "His real name is Commander Lockswitch."

"I like Scarface better." Sam nodded.

"Me too." Comet smiled before pointed towards a building. "That's where he stays. Everyone else is on the roofs of the buildings, looking out for a Seeker aerial strike." She pointed up then put her servos to her side. "We've been getting a lot lately."

"How long have you been under siege?" Arcee asked with a sad expression planted on her face.

"I don't really remember. Maybe a few solar cycles. Maybe a few Mega cycles. We finally managed to send out distress yesterday. We're waiting for a response." Comet picked up the pace when the building got close. She allowed them to enter first before going in herself. The inside of the building was tragic. There were no operational lights, clumps of metal and wiring from the building lay in various spots around the floor, monitor that weren't cracked or shattered held only a white flickering static.

"Commander!" StarBurn announced her presence as she entered a different room. She ushered them to follow after a bit and they followed obediently. A tall orange bot stood at the far end of the room, looking out a window.

"You know, I can't remember the last time I stopped to look out the window at the Cybertron I loved. Now it's too late." Lockswitch sighed heavily and looked at the new faces. They could see a long deep scar stretched across his face plate. "Who are these bots?

"We found them outside the city Scarface." Comet answered.

"Don't call me that." Lockswitch said almost calmly. "Can we know for certain that they aren't Decepticon spies?"

"Comet saw them fall from the sky Commander. They bare no wings and they have out insignia." StarBurn looked over at them and smiled. "Besides, I would have ended them if they were by now, wouldn't I?"

"I guess that's true." Lockswitch began turning back to his window, but then he stopped. "Why don't you show our new allies where they can get comfortable?"

"Yes sir!" Comet took Sam's servo and began pulling her. She seemed to take a liking to her. They went to a lobby in the building next store. Half of the wall was blown off so you could still see everything outside, but the support pillars put there made it almost like a porch. They all sat in a circle with drinks in hand, except Sam of course by Ratchet's suggestion.

"Hey, do any of you know a bot named Artemis?" Sam brought up. Now that they thought about it, bringing up her name was actually a pretty good idea. They both stopped drinking. StarBurn looked genuinely surprised at the mention of the name. Comet just seemed stunned.

"You know Artemis?" StarBurn put down her drink, as if for the first time they said something interesting.

"Yes, but how do you know her?" Bulkhead continued for Sam.

"Why, she's Optimus Prime's personal messenger." Comet said and StarBurn waved her arm as if that was nothing.

"But she's also one of his Generals." StarBurn finished.

"But isn't Lockswitch a general too?" Sam asked a little confused. Was it that big a deal?

"No, he's just the captain of a small unit. No, Artemis is a General. We're talking, Lieutenant Rank." StarBurn shook her head as if it were common knowledge.

"She's up there with Lieutenant Jazz, Ironhide, and Prowl." Comet looked almost lost for a second. "Man, would I die just to shake the hand of one of them." They all smiled at themselves. Of course Artemis would make quick work at becoming of the elite.

"So Artemis is-"

"Shh." StarBurn hushed Sam.

"What? What I say?"

"Do you hear that?" StarBurn stood up and shifted her optics. It was faint, but there, the rustling of debris. Then it got louder, it sounded like something was running towards them. She cocked her gun and waited for the slightest sign of movement. Arcee stood up, feeling the pressure. All of sudden, something tackled her side. Servos wrapped around her body and held her close. No shots were fired, only a loud shout from everyone simultaneously.

"DREXEL!" They all smiled at the faceless bot that clung to Arcee tightly.

"Wait, how do you two know Drexel?" Arcee asked as she patted the young bots head.

"He's Artemis' left." StarBurn gestured to the bot. Sam was about to ask, but then Ratchet explained that it just meant Drexel was one of her trusted subordinates.

"Well if Drexel's here then our Artemis is definitely here too." Sam nodded and brought Drexel into a hug.

"I guessing you've come here bringing news?" Comet asked, being unusually to the point. Drexel looked back at the two femmes then stood up straight. He nodded before bringing up an audio.

"'Argentex, I have heard your distress call and am in route. Hang in there, we're on our way.'" Artemis' voice played over Drexel's vocalizers. The two femmes jumped for joy.

"Praise Primus! We're saved!" StarBurn said before running out screaming for Lockswitch.

"So wait, Artemis is coming here?" Ratchet gestured to the ground and Drexel nodded. Optimus and Ratchet both wondered if that was the greatest idea. Though, they didn't complain. If Argentex didn't make it, they probably wouldn't either.

"We're going to be okay." Comet sighed with relief. It came in a piercing roar. A sentry called out loudly and sounded completely frazzled. Though he was not in best condition, his words were clear even if not all knew the meaning.

"What is he saying?" Sam frowned and tilted her head to the side.

"He's saying," Comet frowned. "That the Decepticons are invading the city."

**Optimus POV**

I finally saw the total number of Autobots stationed here. There were probably a little more than a servo full, way understaffed. I saw most of them and it suggested that any others that were stationed here were long K.I.A. I saw Lockswitch stand behind his unit and the look on his face said everything. There was no escape, no alternate route. They had to fight. He began to walk passed his unit until he was standing in front, guns cocked.

"We make our stand here!" Lockswitch announced. They all nodded and brought their weapons to a charge. I turned to my Autobots and looked at Sam.

"Protect Sam." I said to Bulkhead and he nodded then slammed his fist into his hand.

"I've been dying to dent some Decepticon butt since we left our dimension." He rolled his head, letting off a creak of his neck plates, showing he was ready. Ratchet nodded at me.

"I'll be ready to give medical aid." Ratchet backed up so that he wasn't under direct fire. He was probably the most valuable here. These Autobots had no medic with them. Only Ratchet would be able to tend to their wounds.

"TILL ALL ARE ONE!" StarBurn announced as she charged into the approaching Decepticons. The other bots bravely followed.

I located the Decepticon unit's General easily. I remember him from a battle long ago. He was a husky bot, very full of himself. He was dark green and light green. He pounded into the bots that dare charge at him, swatting them away like flies. He didn't need to kill them all, he just needed to get to Lockswitch and end him. That was his only objective.

I shot into the Decepticons with lethal precision. Whomever I set my eyes on, I ended. I advanced as their General did. At the pace I was going, he and I would collide. He'd have to face me in order to get to Lockswitch. My Autobots chose their fights wisely, as I trained them to do. Bulkhead did well to keep Sam safe. She was actually enjoying the action, cheering Bulkhead on.

I finally came heel strut to heel strut with the General. I remembered his name at that moment. Hendorex. A gladiator name that Megatron bestowed on him himself. The large bot looked down at me and swung at me. I ducked. His arms were short. While he was taller than me, I could simply duck to avoid the flailing of his servos. Though I was clever, landing blows on his shoulders as he missed his initial attacks. He used his hefty built chassis against me, bulking his chest up and body slamming into me.

I recoiled and before I knew it, our doom had arrived. Aerial support. The gun fire of the aerial bots came down on us like rain. It caused us to stumble back. They were trying to outflank us. They circled us so that we couldn't separate any of them. When the gun fire subsided, we were all back to back with each other, surrounded by Decepticons. Many had fallen, but StarBurn, Comet, and Lockswitch was still there.

"Surrender Autobots, Argentex will fall. The only difference will be if you live to see the Decepticon's rule over it." Hendorex smirked.

"I rather rot in the pits then watch you Decepticons do your duty work." StarBurn spat. He frowned at the femme and shook his head.

"What a waste." He opened his optics. "Very well. Decepticons, take aim." They thought that soon they would be feeling the metal melting burn of their gun fire. Instead they heard silence. The Decepticons began to stir; they anxiously awaited their commander's orders. "Do you hear that?"

Hendorex was extremely paranoid. His unit knew this. It made him a cautious leader, but still a good one. They listened closely and could hear the sound of air hitting metal. He turned and tried to locate the source of the sound. There was a heavy layer of smoke around the buildings, hindering their view of the skies. Then, a new sound caught his audio receptors. The sound of cables scraping metal.

Two Autobot dropped from the smoke and landed right between Hendorex and his unit. One of them they knew, Sam ever gave a silent cheer after seeing who it was, ShadowVolt. The second was a pure white figure with various light blue markings on the armor. The bot had metal waving behind her which made it looked like a scarf, the Autobot symbol visible at the ends of each tail. The mask that the bot wore had a light blue X over it and ears that looked like they belonged to a beast Transformer.

The two bots had a long black cable between them. They charged at either side of Hendorex and let the cable wrap around the General's head tightly. Then, they pulled. It didn't take much force for the cautious General to be nothing, but a headless husk on the ground. ShadowVolt retracted the cable into a device on his servo and smirked at the familiar faces in the ring of Autobots.

"Autobots!" Artemis' voice echoed above the smog above them. "NOW!"

The Decepticons began to fire into the skies above them. They were shocked then some of their aerial bots began falling from the sky. Suddenly, the walls from the buildings on either side of them began to come towards them. They scrambled, trying to get out from the incoming walls. Some of them managed to escape from being crushed, others were not so lucky. Autobots by the dozens jumped out from where they were hiding behind the walls and began shooting at the remaining Decepticons.

I shot at the Decepticons that dared come close enough. From the sky fell a familiar red and gold bot. She smiled at me as she walked closer to us. She shot down a Decepticon who attempted to tackle her and that only made me smile more. Sam grinned and rushed to embrace the femme.

"Artemis!"

"Why is it I always find you guys in some kind of trouble?" Artemis asked, shaking her head.

"We're just glad to see you. We've been looking for you." Bulkhead smirked and bashed a Decepticon with his wrecking ball.

"Have you tried looking in a city that's not under siege?" She tilted her head before looking back at the bots. The battle was beginning to draw to a close, but there still was quite a few aerial bots to take care of up above. "Ratchet, do you think you can take care of the wounded?"

"Of course." Ratchet almost scoffed.

"Good." She turned to look for a bot. "Light!" The white and light blue bot from earlier, who was stabbing an Insecticon through with her energy blade, turned her head to answer the call. "Help Ratchet!" The bot nodded, almost half bowed, before going to look for wounded.

"Wait, Artemis." Sam clung.

"I'll be back. I promise." Artemis smiled before taking off into the air.

**Artemis POV**

I approached my friends after the Decepticons retreated. I've been waiting for their faced to turn up ever since I got here. I wracked my brain at every defeat I would be informed of and kept thinking that perhaps they were dead. I kept myself from hugging Optimus, even though I was so thrilled to see him. The others however had no shame in showing their affection. I smiled at brought them close.

"I was beginning to worry." I informed them and let go of them, allowing myself to give Sam a personal hug.

"We did too." Optimus said which made me feel a bit special, but at the same time guilty. I saw Lockswitch and frowned. There was one more piece of business I needed to take care of.

"Lockswitch!" I called him over and he gladly came over. He looked at me with a smile, but that soon faded when he saw the serious look on my face. I stepped towards him so that I was facing him and was only a few steps away.

"Yes?" He said with a shaky voice. He knew what I was going to say.

"I'm sorry to inform you, but. I was sent here mainly to deliver a message." I frowned.

"And the message?"

"We must abandon Argentex." I saw his optics squeeze shut. This was his home, I knew that, but we needed to cut our losses before we lose more Autobots. Plus there were many innocent Cybertronians here that needed to be evacuated.

"I understand. We'll leave as soon as the wounded are treated."


	36. Ch 36: How to Be a War Hero

The Human Prime

Chapter 36: How to Be a War Hero

Artemis flew high above his unit, watching them march and looking for any sign of an ambush. She looked among the Seekers which aligned themselves with the Autobots and smiled beneath her helmet. A familiar sight caused her to descend. She landed on the ground and gestured the unaligned Cybertronians into Iacon.

"Artemis!" She stopped walking at the sound of Sam's voice and waited.

"Sam, don't push yourself so hard." Artemis pated Sam's back as the young bot attempted to regain her energy.

"Your one to talk." A bots voice caused Artemis to stiffen. She turned slowly and saw the source of the voice.

"Jazz." She smiled slightly.

"You know, usually you're supposed to report changes in destination before you storm off." He folded his arm then saw the familiar faces of the gang.

"Look what I found in Argentex." She held out her hand to her friends and smiled. "I'll take responsibility for my rash actions, but I do not regret it."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't either." Jazz tilted his head towards Optimus. "Hey."

"Hello my old friend." Optimus answered, knowing Jazz must be caught up with his identity by now.

"Not to be rude, especially since I'd love to share stories, but we have debriefing." He held out his hand to Artemis. She nodded slightly and turned to the others then saw ShadowVolt.

"ShadowVolt, stay with these guys till I get back?"

"Oh course commander." ShadowVolt bowed slightly.

"I'll be back right after I'm done with debriefing." She looked at Optimus and extended a hand. "Did, you want to come?"

"I remember much of the war, but I'm afraid my presence would not change the outcome of what will come. Especially since I am not sure how our presence in this dimension's past has affected its future." She nodded at his response before leaving with Jazz.

"Hey kido, it's been awhile. Where've you been?" ShadowVolt wrapped an arm around Sam bringing her close.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Sam laughed and shoved him away.

"I was just about to go over to get a drink and get myself some R&R, wanna come?" He asked even though they really didn't have a choice. He was their assigned guide and it would be selfish to deprive him of what relaxation he could obtain because they didn't agree with the tour schedule.

"Sure." She answered back before anyone could even consider their options.

They followed him to a long line where rations were being divided among the returning warriors. When they finally got to the front, all except ShadowVolt denied their shares. They didn't deserve it. They weren't there that long. These bots needed it more than they did. They nestled themselves around a shallow pit which had a glowing cube in the middle, just bright enough that they could see within the darkness of night.

There were other bots there. One in which was Comet who had strayed from her normal platoon to sit with some larger bots. ShadowVolt seemed to know them well, holding his drink up to them and exchanging cheers. The bot was large and was covered in black and they continued to talk between themselves before ShadowVolt regained his manners.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce you. Guys, this is Blackrock. Blackrock, this is. Well. The guys." ShadowVolt shrugged, not willing to go through the names.

"Oh, so descriptive Shadow." Blackrock shook everyone's hands, learning their names on his own.

"Blackrock is the best story teller of all the Autobots." ShadowVolt wrapped an arm around his pal.

"What kind of stories?" Sam tilted her head to the side.

"War stories of course." Blackrock leaned forward and patted his chest with a fist.

"Come on Blackrock, tell one." ShadowVolt elbowed him and egged him to tell a story.

"What one? You know most of them yourself Shadow."

"Do you know any about Artemis?" Sam smiled. They didn't know what Artemis had been doing since they've been gone. This would be an easy way to find out.

"Of course."

"Tell them about the battle in Deltacron." ShadowVolt insisted.

"Right, right. Artemis' first battle." Blackrock took a second to compose himself. "It was the battle of Deltacron and we were vastly outnumbered. Decepticon Seekers were pouring down on us with everything they had, dwindling out numbers. Optimus tried to rally us, but they Decepticons had cut us off from each other. Then, out of nowhere, a star fell from the sky."

"Except it wasn't a star. It was Artemis, falling from the sky right out of nothingness." ShadowVolt interrupted.

"Who's telling the story?!" Blackrock growled.

"Sorry." ShadowVolt went back to sipping his Energon. Blackrock sighed then paused before starting where he left off.

"The future commander opened up her large wings and caught herself midair as she glided down to the surface. Most of us were confused and wondered who the bot was. Many also however, knew this brave Gladiator Phoenix that had shown herself as Artemis near the very beginning of the war. In her arms was a black scout, now her surveillance officer, Drexel. Artemis wasted no time in joining the fight. The moment she turned and saw the Decepticon army pushing on our limits, she was firing back with twice as much force." Blackrock held his arm up high as if getting ready for a climax. "Octane."

"Who's that?" Arcee asked, not recognizing the name.

"The first bot that tasted Artemis' steel." He smirked and lowered his servo. "Octane charged at Artemis. He always feared what he couldn't understand and Artemis' arrival was surly not be understood. He charged at her as she tried to grasp her surroundings, he became Artemis' first kill in our war."

"Kill." Sam whispered. She had never thought about it before. It just sounded so, so heartless. Blackrock continued the story, the battle was gruesome. Sam clung to Bulkhead, trying to ignore the gory details.

"Tell them of Kalis next!" ShadowVolt said as the story came to a close.

**Hall of Records**

Artemis walked in with Jazz. The others were already waiting for them. She made it a point to always sit near Prowl. He was calm and collected, a little too serious at times but it was refreshing. Jazz and Ironhide were always closer anyways. We waited for Orion, this dimension's Optimus, to arrive. Knowing him, he was talking to Alpha Trion about the next step. Artemis looked down at the map of Cybertron. The red glowing areas were the areas under Decepticon rule. What was in blue belonged to us and the grey was unclaimed. There was so little grey now.

"Jazz, Artemis, how did you fare?" Orion walked in standing in front of the table we sat at.

"I pushed the Decepticons from the tip of Khalkon." Jazz assured. "I blew them away. You should have seen it, Optimus!" His excitement was not shared. Khalkon was important to us, no doubt, but the Decepticons were not a direct threat to the city. Defending it was simply an extra measure.

"Artemis?" Orion asked and she knew what he was dwelling on. Was it worth going to Argentex?

"The unit I left at Praxis to block the Decepticon forces succeeded. And," She looked up at Orion, his face was tense. "I successfully evacuated Argentex. No casualties."

"Good." Orion nodded, but she could see the relief wash over him.

"Optimus, I have an odd feeling." Prowl pointed onto the map. "Decepticon forces posted in Zhentox are on the move."

"Some Decepticon spies are retreating from Polyhex as well." Artemis mentioned.

"They're gearing up for something." Orion stood closer to them.

"Drexel is looking into it. He will notify me when he gets any hints into where they are going." She moved her digits across the map. "They could be trying to capture this area."

"Well that's not vague. There are about five cities in that 'area.'" Ironhide sighed.

"There's more." Alpha Trion walked into the room, stepping slowly. "Reports came in from our spies. Shockwave has been experimenting again."

"That mad scientist needs a new hobby besides cutting into bots." Jazz scoffed.

"Artemis?" Orion looked at her. She bit her lip, wondering if it was in her place to speak events from the future. However, it was kind of late to hold things back.

"Constructicons." She finally muttered after weighing the consequences.

"Sounds like trouble." Prowl mumbled.

"There are infinitely sturdier built and their meant to just destroy. That's only the half of it. A group can combine together into a towering monster that can grind a city down to nothing but rubble, Devastator." She said its name with a shudder. The memory of thousands of bots flowing into its funnel like mouth to their deaths slowly flashed in her head.

"Then we must do something about it!" Ironhide demanded, slamming his fist on the table.

"And what do you advise we do? Just waltz up to the thing and demand it to just fall apart?" Prowl said sarcastically.

"Anything, something. If that THING targets one of the major cities, thousands, NO, millions will die." Ironhide answered and Artemis sighed. He didn't know the own truth in his words.

"We can't do anything until we know where there headed." Artemis finally said.

"I agree with Artemis. We have no choice, but to wait for some word of the Decepticon's next strike. In the meantime, we should prepare to move quickly." Orion said, finally taking a seat at the table. He began pointing out possible locations and they all began to construct a plan for any and all possibilities.

**Outside**

"So Artemis assisted the victory in Kalis?" Ratchet asked again as if not believing it.

"She assisted in every victory we've had so far." Blackrock snorted as if it were common knowledge.

"She works herself to hard though." ShadowVolt suggests before leaning back to look at Arcee. "She could get herself killed just by working that hard."

"They all work hard Shadow. Optimus, Jazz, Ironhide, and Prowl, they're all generals. They need to stay on top of things." Blackrock looked over at that moment and smiled. "Hey Shadow."

"Hm?" ShadowVolt looked back at Blackrock in enough to see him pointing in a direction. He followed the digit to see his beautiful sparkmate approaching them. "Moonray!"

He ran to her and picked her up, clutching her as if she were his life force. She laughed and kissed him when he twirled her around. Arcee couldn't help, but smile. She was still there. MoonRay was still there so that meant ShadowVolt could be happy for a solar cycle longer. Arcee didn't realize when she started caring so much.

It was that moment that Drexel stood up. They all stared at him wondering what had gotten into him. He walked forward a few steps before kneeling. It was at that moment that a black wolf-like robot was seen running towards them in the distance. Optimus and his bots began to tense, not sure what it was.

"It must be Ravage." Bulkhead practically growled.

"Who's Ravage?" Sam asked, obliviously.

"One of Soundwave's bots, he had a lot more than Lazerbeak in the beginning." Arcee explained and held up her fists.

"Whoa, whoa, chill your systems my friends." Blackrock gestured them to relax a little. "That's not Ravage."

"Then who is it?" Sam squinted to try and make out the bot more before it got closer.

"That is K9." Comet's words seemed to pop out of nowhere. She had been so quiet before, keeping her own conversation with the larger bots around them. Sam finally saw the bot jump into Drexel with the utmost excitement. Putting the totally unoriginal name aside, K9 seemed to be a very cute mini-con. It wagged its tail and licked Drexel's screen.

"What is it Drexel? Did he find something?" ShadowVolt loosened his grip on his lover. Now, he was the one who was tense. Drexel only nodded and as quickly as the wolf bot came, he transformed and stored himself as a gauntlet on Drexel's wrist.

The silent spy started walking towards the Hall of Records, walking, more like jogging. Arcee went to follow the bot, but he turned and shook his head, as if saying he had to go alone. She only nodded and let him leave.

"I don't like this. Why would Drexel need to go alone? And so quickly too. It must have been important." Sam said in one breath.

"For once, I agree with Sam. He's obviously hiding something." Arcee nodded and looked at the fading black bot.

"No, Artemis is hiding something." Ratchet said what was on everyone's mind. Drexel wouldn't hide anything from them unless Artemis directly ordered it. This made finding out that much more important.

"You guys should relax. Whatever it was, we'll probably find out about it later." ShadowVolt shrugged and returned to his waiting femme. Optimus looked at his bots and nodded. Arcee and Bulkhead began having a conversation with the surrounding bots. Like ghosts, Optimus, Ratchet, and Sam, all faded from the group and began heading toward the Hall of Records themselves.

They followed Optimus who walked through the building as if it were only yesterday he was roaming the halls. They paused when they turned into a hall where Drexel was walking down. They had caught up to him and as they expected, he was very cautious. He checked his surroundings frequently to make sure no one followed him. He definitely was hiding something. Finally, he disappeared behind a door. It was the door to the meeting room.

Optimus walked up to the door and listened. They were all talking loud enough. He gestured the others over and they all huddled behind the door. They listened and could hear them discussing something. They hadn't yet noticed Drexel walk into the room. However, when Drexel's presence was finally acknowledged, the information he had to share made both Ratchet and Optimus gasp.

**Artemis POV**

"Drexel, did K9 return from his mission?" I asked and watched by little scout nod. He had grown so much since coming here. I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to call him a scout anymore.

"Please, relay to us his findings." Orion requested. I really needed to start calling him Optimus, but with my Optimus in my memories, it made things so confusing and a little embarrassing. Again, Drexel nodded and began playing his spy's findings.

"'Decepticons,'" The recording sounded like an intercepted transmission. Obviously K9 had successfully hacked into a session in the Data Net as the request went out. It was either an act of skill or luck. Either way, with K9 and Drexel's ability, Megatron probably had no idea that his plans to his troops had been compromised. 'I am now issuing an attack on Crystal City. Contructicons, lead the march into the city and leave no building untouched. Destroy the city and the symbol of repression it has become!'"

I stopped listening after that. I was baffled. After everything this war was becoming, he still was going forth with his political campaign. Still manipulative as ever that Megatron and the worst part was, his followers didn't even realize it. They just follow into his game and offer themselves as lambs to the slaughter. Not that it mattered, no matter how much I had added to our numbers, no matter how many Decepticons we slay, we were still outnumbered.

"Crystal City! That's where he'll strike next!" Jazz said excitingly.

"Then that's where we have to go." Ironhide said almost bitterly. He wanted to fight and he wanted to end this war.

"Calm down Ironhide, we much plan this out. We can just go charging in blindly." Prowl sighed at his eager friend.

"There are thousands of neutral scientists in Crystal City that have yet to be evacuated." I mentioned, putting more pressure on the situation. As much as I was all for planning and strategizing, we just didn't have time. We needed to act for the Decepticons were already moving into position.

"Prowl is right. We need to think this through. First we need to choose who-"

"I will." I said, completely interrupting Orion. "My company is ready to fight. We have been since we got back from Argentex."

**Optimus POV**

I couldn't believe what I was hearing through the doors. All of a sudden Artemis volunteered to go into a battle that went into history as an Energon bath. There was no winner in the battle of Crystal City, only a large cloud of smoke that would never clear from the damage that was done. My Crystal City was nothing, but ruins now. As much as a war hero Artemis was now, there was no way she was prepared to go into this kind of battle. I wasn't even ready.

"Artemis, your unit is the smallest among us. The chances of surviving-" I heard my other self try and reason her out of the decision.

"It is because they are small that they fight five times as hard. We have never lost a battle and I am not starting now." Artemis said with confidence, but in my spark, I could feel that she wasn't as assured as she sounded.

"I'll go with her." I could hear my dear friend Prowl volunteer. Prowl, I haven't seen him in a very long time. I could hear my other self sigh as if he already lost.

"Fine, you'll leave immediately. I will go-"

"You have a whole army to command. If anything happens while we're taking care of Crystal City, you need to be free to take care of it. Besides, wouldn't it be more productive to make up a counter strike? Commander." Artemis sounded almost demeaning. However, instead of being insulted, I was almost flattered.

The only reason she was acting so rudely, the only reason she was insistent on going alone, was to protect me. To protect Orion I suppose is more accurate. She didn't want him to see the great tragedy that would probably occur. Before any of us could react, the doors opened widely.

**Artemis POV**

I stared at them surprised. I wasn't sure how long they had been listening, but by the looks on their faces, I knew they must have heard my decision. Without saying a word, I walked away from them down the hall. I didn't want to bring it up with them. Not right then anyways. I had a unit to get on the march. Prowl followed behind me and explained to me which direction he'd start heading. I would not follow the same path, but choose a different one.

"Artemis! Artemis this is suicide!" Ratchet called out. I kept walking, not speeding up or slowing down. "Artemis!" Finally I stopped and turned.

"What's the point of being here if I can't change these events? What's the point of having the power to end this war if I don't use it? Millions will die Ratchet. No matter what I do they will die, but maybe I can make it one million less than it was. Maybe I could end this war and if putting my life on the line in this next battle is what I have to do to make it happen, then so be it." I said and stared at them.

"Artemis, it's not even our dimension." Sam said and for once I couldn't believe how selfish she was.

"That doesn't make their lives any less than the ones in our own. That doesn't mean he," I pointed back at the Hall of Records, referring to Orion Pax A.K.A this dimension's Optimus. "Has to suffer through this too. He doesn't have to. Not when I now have the power to do something about it."

"Then I'm coming too." Optimus intervened.

"What? No, Optimus. Someone shouldn't have to go through this more than once." I frowned and tried to get him to step down.

"You are my partner Artemis, and like it or not I must and WILL go with you into battle. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you." Optimus' words hit me like a brick. I blushed and turned away from him. I had no words for him after that. I lifted up my head and addressed my troops.

"Move out! We're going to Crystal City, and what are we going to do?!"

"KICK SOME DECEPTICON CAN!" My troops replied. I hoped that that would happen and all I can do is hope.


	37. Ch 37: Light

The Human Prime

Chapter 37: Light

I marched in front of them of course, as I always did. This time, however, I had others beside me. Sam clung to my side, as I hoped she would do. I tried to keep her from going at all, but no matter what I did, she only managed to come right back by my side (and I even tried trying her to a pole). So, in light of this fact, I assigned her two body guards. One was my second in command, Light. The second was a hyperactive scout who could slip her way in and out of trouble faster than you could say 'Primus.' Her name was Piper.

Also at my side were Optimus and the others. They stayed by my side and it wasn't long before the rest of my unit realized the standings of these new bots on the ladder. They all vowed to protect them for me, in which I replied 'I'm pretty sure they're the ones that are going to be protecting you in the end.' which was true. Minus Sam, they all were survivors of this war and excellent fighters, even Ratchet.

As the sky began to get dark, I noticed my second in command trailing behind me rather gloomily. I frowned and looked around. Everyone was getting tired. The Decepticons would be foolish enough to attack Crystal City till daybreak. I held up my servo, signaling that it was okay to stop. I waved high, signaling the Seekers above me to land and take a break. It was a unison sigh of content. Yup, everyone was tried. Before Sam could draw me into a conversation, I turned to Light.

"Light." I saw Light's head jerk up. "You okay?"

"I never thought I'd be going home as a soldier." Light replied to me with utmost respect, but she was sad. No matter how hard she tried, she could never hide that.

"We will not lose Crystal City, Light. You have my word." I reassured her and went to sit by my eager friends. "Come sit with us."

"Artemis, I…I don't think that's a good idea." She backed away as if I were a ghost from her past.

"That's an order." I said, not with a stern voice, but a calm one. I never liked giving orders and when I did, they sounded more like suggestions. Nevertheless, Light came and sat in the circle with us. I noticed immediately that she was tense.

"Come on, we're not that weird are we?" Sam tilted her head.

"Speak for yourself." Arcee cracked, leading to snickers.

"It's nothing personal. I don't trust anyone." Light answered kindly, but it still sounded as if she didn't want to be there.

"Why not?" Bulkhead couldn't stop himself from asking. My eyes shifted towards Light and I could feel her uncertainty growing towards my friends. I let out a small noise from deep in my throat and suddenly she began to speak.

"No one has given me a reason to." Light said with a resentful tone.

"Come on Light, you can't base everyone's decision process off of one bad choice." I didn't look at her. What she went through was no small deal. It was horrible and if I was put in the situation, I probably would have reacted the same way.

"What happened?" Arcee was the one to speak. I was glad because she would be able to connect with Light more than anyone else would. Still, the situation wasn't the same.

"My unit was heading back to Iacon. We were caught in the cross fire between the two opposing group of Seekers above us. A missile had missed and came down on us. The rest of my unit only had dings and scratches. I, on the other hand, was badly wounded. I screamed for them not to leave me. They knew I was still alive. But… 'No one bot is above the Autobot cause.'" Light quoted her late commander perfectly. The memory was still fresh in her mind.

"They left you for scrap." Arcee said in simpler terms.

"I just…I couldn't move. I needed help and they left me. I needed help for the first time since the war began and instead of helping like I would, they turned and ran." Light looked away from them. They couldn't see her expression through her battle mask, but I knew. I knew she was crying.

"When I get a hold of the bots who-" Bulkhead began, but I shook my head.

"Don't bother. Karma already caught up with them. In their next mission they were killed instantly by Shockwave." I told the one piece of the story that Light would never reveal. She wouldn't because she thought it was her fault for wishing them dead.

"How'd you get out if you couldn't move?" Sam interrupted, still interested in the story.

"…The General of the Autobot Seekers landed to scout for survivors. Artemis…found me and took me back to Iacon." Light almost whispered.

"I looked over the repairs myself." I added. All at once, everyone realized why she clung to me. Light's only friend was me. I noticed her shaking. No one, but me would be able to notice. As a kind gesture, I reached over to her and deactivated her mask. She winced at the world that was not tinted in light blue by her visor. I knew she'd hate me for showing her crying face in front of practical strangers, but I didn't care. I wiped he face dry.

"Y-" Bulkhead began.

"What?" Light said very bitterly.

"You're a femme?" Bulkhead said with his mouth wide open.

"Oh course I'm a femme!" Light screamed, standing up. "What, you thought I was a mech!?"

"I just, the way you fight and how you talk. And the way your voice was muffled through the mask! I didn't know!" Bulkhead tried to build up his argument, but that only made Light scream more. Finally, everyone let out a loud bout of laughter. Light looked around us and hid her face in her metallic scarf.

"See Light? You haven't completely lost your social skills." I said still laughing. She looked at me with wide optics. This whole thing was to get her to lighten up.

"Hey, Light." Sam started a new subject. "Where did you live before this?"

"I lived in Crystal City, actually." Light sat back down. "I was one of the cities scientists."

"Oh, so you're really smart." He said which made her grunt.

"Are you saying a femme can't be smart?"

"Wait, no, I mean. Scrap." We all laughed at Bulkhead's inability to communicate with Light.

"Light," Ratchet interrupted. "Why did you join the Autobots? Crystal City, even though it was built to honor the primes, remained neutral."

"I didn't agree with my fellow Crystalians." Sam cocked her head in confusion; I explained to her that that was what Cybertronians from Crystal City were called. "I believed that our knowledge and skills should be used to assist the war, so that it may end as quickly as possible. Cybertron is in a war, there is no escaping it. Neutral ground does not exist."

"I agree." Arcee said, expressing she too, at least at one time, felt the same way.

"It is a shame we must fight to begin with." Optimus said a hint of despair in his voice.

"I don't think it could have been stopped, even if Megatron didn't exist." Light always said what was on her mind. While the thought was morbid to us, she was probably right. All of a sudden, her audio receptors caught a slight rustle of debris in the distance. She had the best 'ears' of us all.

"Bye Light." I said before she took off in the direction of the sound, mask covering her faceplate once again.

"Where is she going?" Sam asked, tilting her head.

"Hunting."

**Outskirts of Crystal City**

The day felt hot. It was definitely going to be vicious. The Autobots behind her twitched as they all waited for her orders. They only waited. Artemis tried many times to contact Prowl and his unit, but with no success. The Decepticon must have already scrambled the frequency. That, however, did not scare Artemis. She already knew she would end up doing this alone. She turned to her Seekers, which landed in order to get their orders.

"Seekers!" Artemis said with the booming voice of a leader. "Patrol the skies; shoot down any Decepticons you intercept. Keep your optics on Light and I. We will tell you when to signal the others to press forward." Her Seekers nodded slightly. "ShadowVolt."

"Yeah?" ShadowVolt responded immediately to his name.

"Signal me if you see Prowl's unit." Artemis waited for him to nod before gesturing the Seekers to take off.

"What do you mean 'the others'? We're not all going in at once?" Sam asked her face curious.

"Light and I will scout ahead to see if the enemy has already taken posts in the city." Artemis looked around her bots, trying to find one in particular. "Siren!" She called out.

"Artemis!" Optimus said with a stern tone. He was very angry with her for not telling him.

"I told you not to come." Artemis shrugged before spotting the bot she called. "I'll be okay Optimus. Light can do remarkable things. And I have my own ace up my sleeve."

"Here it is Artemis, what you told me to bring." Siren, a small mech, came forward holding a blaster that was almost bigger than he was. Artemis reached into the opening in the blaster, just large enough for her servo to fit inside, and lifted the blaster to cradle in her other servo.

"What is that thing?" Arcee squinted at the weapon; it didn't look like anything she had ever seen. Ratchet stepped forward to investigate and determined that he didn't see anything like that either.

"I had the idea to make this weapon for a long time. Unfortunately, I lacked the technology to do so. Being in Cybertron gave me the opportunity to build it. It was finished just a few solar cycles ago." Artemis held the blaster up higher. Light ducked when the barrel end of the blaster pointed in her direction. "I call it the EMB, electromagnetic blaster."

"That's what you decided to make! Pfft, the best it could do is stun a bot." Ratchet said mockingly.

"Try stunning a bot, permanently." It was almost dark the way she said it, and it was a little. Artemis had to convince herself many times that it was the best of Cybertron that she built this weapon. "Light, come on, we're moving out." She heard someone's footsteps begin to follow. She turned to look at Optimus and sighed. "Op-"

"I'm coming Artemis, THAT is an order." Optimus responded. Artemis stared at him for a long time before nodding reluctantly. Thank goodness no one else besides, Light and the gang heard him. That would bring up to many questions.

They walked into the city cautiously. Every step was slow and calculated. Light stayed in between them, as Artemis requested. Artemis took the left while Optimus was on the right. As they turned into a narrower street, Optimus found it acceptable to whisper.

"Why do you insist on putting yourself into danger?" He asked, his eyes still shifting between the windows of the buildings.

"Don't we do that every single day back home?" Artemis answered, twitching her head at any slight noises.

"Artemis." He said blankly, knowing she knew what he meant.

"Optimus…back home, you feel responsible for us because we are YOUR unit. You do anything and everything in order to make sure we experience the least amount of pain possible. You defend us like you defend your Cybertron." She began. "Well, here. That unit back there, that it MY unit and this is now MY Cybertron. And I am willing to do anything AND everything in order to make them feel the least amount of pain possible." She paused. "To make sure you feel the least amount of pain possible."

"Optimus?" Light asked, staring at the large red bot.

"I'll explain later Light. Stay focused."

"I never lose focus." Light answered back causally.

"Artemis," Optimus caught Artemis attention. She expected to see him point out an enemy, instead he stared at her. "Haven't you felt enough pain too?" Artemis flinched as he brought up the pains of her past, of her family.

"Touché." Artemis finally said with a sigh. Then, as they started heading back into the main street, they heard a loud rumble.

"There they are. I was beginning to think that we came all this way for nothing." Light lowered her weapon slowly. Artemis looked up to the sky and saw her Seekers signaling her they see the same thing. She waved her arm and made some signals. They quickly flew off to signal the rest of the unit. "Do you think it's Devastator?"

"Most likely. No one would march in front of that monster." Artemis cocked her blaster and pointed out towards the sound, beginning to walk towards it.

"I'm hoping you have a plan." Light covered the two's backs.

"Don't I always." Artemis looked at Optimus and pointed to a large tower. He nodded in agreement, it was a good plan. "Hey Light, what do you think of that tower?" Light turned her head towards the tower and scowled.

"That? An abomination to the city. Sentinel Prime built that in honor of himself. What a pompous old mech." She said before turned back to what she was doing.

"So you wouldn't care if we, shall we say, tore it down?"

"It would be a pleasure." Light automatically reached for the grenade strapped to her belt. "Nothing survives a Light bomb."

"Go; don't move until I say so." Artemis watched Light dash towards the tower. She was good on her own; she could trust Light to survive. "Optimus, I know you don't like the fact of me standing alone on this one, but I need you to reactivate communications."

"Stay strong." That was all Optimus said as he transformed and drove off towards the nearest satellite. Artemis hoisted her blaster up to her mid-section and began walking towards the noise. The Decepticons must have sent in the Constructicons to level the city before they marched through, because all you could see if their large frames coming up from a distance.

"Come and get me." One of the cons that were marching along Devastator's side noticed her instantly. He stormed out from formation and charged towards her. She didn't move, only raised her blaster up level with his optics. One shot, one kill. She looked down at the motionless frame in front of her.

This was not her goal. The EMB heated up against her servo making her uncomfortable. As expected, it wouldn't last long. However, it didn't need to. She had one more shot left and that had the name Devastator on it.

**Artemis POV**

I ducked into an ally as return fire from the Decepticon Seekers above rained down on the streets. The gang had found their way into the alley from the other end and came to my side. Sam, I pleasantly noted, was untouched. Actually, a large smile was planted across her face. She was happy to help.

"Artemis." Ratchet pointed out. I didn't need him to. I knew that if I didn't take out Devastator out soon, he would reach our ranks.

"I know, Ratchet, I just can't get a good shot with the other constructicons shooting at me. On top of that, the Seekers shooting at me from above." I looked up at the skies at my Seekers trying to illuminate that problem. There was only one problem with that. Starscream along with his most trusted lieutenants were among them.

"Well there must be some way to do this." Sam folded her arms, thinking hard. I sighed and brought my digit to my audio receptor.

"Light." I contacted her over com-link. She didn't immediately respond which meant she must have been in battle.

"Yes?"

"Listen, on my signal, we're going to blow that tower." I looked over at Drexel who nodded before rushing off. "Get ready." I switched my link to ShadowVolt who was battling cons above me. "ShadowVolt, get a hook on Devastator, get Jetfire to help you."

"Help me with what?" He asked, still in an aerial battle.

"Just get hooked up!" I screamed back and he immediately followed my orders. I turned into Phoenix, still having my servo in the blaster, and drew my sword. "Optimus, I need you to help me get close."

"How close?" He was firing on a landed Seeker when he turned to me.

"Close enough to get at that things underbelly, where it can't disrupt the blast." I made the mistake of taking out my secret weapon in front of Sam.

"Wait a second, is that- but how'd you?" Sam began.

"Just so happens that the Shard of the Matrix from THIS dimension didn't get off world yet." I placed the shard on my sword and watched it transform until it was firmly against my sword, becoming one with it. "Let me show you what this thing can do when it's not in my arm." I joked and hoisted the blade onto my shoulder. With one tilt of my head, Optimus and I ran out into the thicket of it.

As the constructicons that came out to face the front line began to approach us, I brought my blade out to my waist and swung. A clean cut right through, I've only felt such power when holding the Star Saber. I charged forward, Optimus having my back. It was fast, the final moments in a battle were always fast.

First, I heard Drexel contact me through the com-link. He only gave a high pitch dinging noise and I took that as a good signal as any. I ordered Light to blow up the tower. As I watched the tower crumble and fall, I noticed the precise landing. Drexel was always spot on. The tower fell right between Devastator and the constructicons behind him.

"ShadowVolt, you hooked on?" I asked through the link.

"Yeah, but-"

"Pull!"

I slowed my charge to a jog as I saw ShadowVolt and the assisting Jetfire pull with all their might. Devastator, slowly mind you, rose up into the sky. I worked quickly, knowing at any moment the cables could snap or, Primus forbid, either of them would be shot out of the air. I stabbed my sword into the ground and held the EMB in line with the creature's spark chamber. One shot…one kill.

**Medical Bay**

Artemis stood in front of Light's berth. Light had been caught in the cross fire of her own explosion. Though, she wasn't too hard on herself since she took a few Decepticon Seekers down with her. Artemis, on the other hand, had a wound in her right shoulder and a burnt up arm. Right after Devastator went down the EMB performed a new trick. It blew up.

Crystal City, despite the constructicons storming its streets, remained standing. However, the losses were much more than Artemis or Prowl could have hoped for. While Artemis' unit suffered no deaths, most were at this point incapacitated. They would not fight in many battles to come. Prowl's suffered no sever injury, but had many deaths on his card, which Artemis blamed herself for not coordinating with him sooner.

"You should get medical attention to." Light said as she squirmed against Ratchet's blow torch.

"Your injuries are far more severe Light, I can wait." Artemis looked over at Sam who was sharing her experience in battle with Bulkhead, who was otherwise engaged with his own score card during the fight.

"The blast killed everyone in its radius, how did you manage to survive?" Optimus asked, having his own minor wounds that Ratchet ignored for the time being.

"That's easy." Light said as if it were common knowledge. "I teleported"

"Optimus, Light is a special bot. Her gauntlet here," Artemis took Light's servo in her hands. "Contains the powers of generations of bots."

"What do you mean?" Sam had overheard Artemis speaking and walked over to them casually.

"You know how Quickstep can run really fast and that Seeker, Skywarp, can teleport?"

"Yes."

"Well, Light has collected these gifts and installed them into her little gauntlet here." Artemis pointed to the individual lights on Light's gauntlet. "Light can phase through solid objects, teleport, and my personal favorite, become invisible."

"You're like a super hero!" Sam exclaimed which made Light blush. Artemis got called away by ShadowVolt who had something important to tell her.

"So you're a mod bot." Arcee said almost disgustingly.

"No, I don't do modifications; these gifts were given to me. They're a part of my spark now, not add-ons to my frame. Don't group me together with those scavengers." Light said with equal disgust.

"How many are there of those special bots?" Bulkhead asked, scratching his head.

"Not many." She suggested.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"For the same reason any bot wouldn't. To not be looked at as a tool of war. Though, that's what we all are anymore." It was at that moment ShadowVolt left and Artemis' face turned grim.

"Artemis what's wrong?"

"We need to get back to Iacon." She paused and tried to repeat the words said to her. "Before Starscream's work at the Trypticon Station dooms us all."


	38. Ch 38: Moon Base

The Human Prime

Chapter 38: Moon Base

Drexel watched Sam closely while they waited in the laboratory in Iacon. With Artemis in a meeting, they had to wait for her to come out before they could proceed with anything. Sam would reach for some buttons and Drexel would immediately draw her away from it. Light stayed against the wall, not wanting to converse with any of them at the moment.

"Drexel, I'm finished!" Siren walked up to the black scout and held up a chest plate. "This should work well with your alt form, just like K9."

"What is it?" Arcee watched Drexel place the equipment on his chest. It locked on perfectly. He was beginning to look more like Soundwave every day; thank goodness his spark was still as good as gold.

"'RazorWing.'" Drexel vocalized. Being called, the chest plate immediately transformed into simplistic metal bird and turned towards them.

"Drexel and I have been working together to study Soundwave's mini cons. We studied his Ravage in order to make K9. Then we studied LaserBeak in order to create RazorWing here." Siren was about to go in further with the boring details, but Drexel picked up the bird and allowed it to return to his chest.

"Now we got a spy in the sky! Cool!" Sam smirked. Before she could continue her thought, Arcee interrupted.

"I wonder how Artemis is doing." Arcee looked out into the hall where Ratchet and Optimus were standing. They were worried too.

**Hall of Records**

"My Seekers had intercepted communications between Starscream and his lieutenants. He is up to something up in Trypticon Station." Artemis explained to her fellow generals.

"Anything to do with Starscream is a really bad sign." Ironhide rubbed his chin, in deep thought.

"Do you have any more details?" Jazz asked, but Artemis shook her head.

"Artemis, you should rest. You were severely injured in Crystal City." Orion frowned at her, not paying attention to what she was saying.

"I'm fine. Ratchet works wonders. Orion, this could be very serious. Someone should investigate!" She insisted, but no one looked willing.

"All of my Seekers are out on patrol near Kaon. I can't call them back now." Jazz frowned. Artemis looked at Prowl's empty seat. He was still in medical bay. If he was here, he'd agree with her right away.

"Then let me investigate." Artemis finally said. "Me and my Seekers."

"Artemis, you just got back from a major battle. Your unit is in no shape to go anywhere and neither are you." Orion argued. "As troubling as this news is, we can't put any more lives in jeopardy by taking any unnecessary risks."

"This is one hundred percent necessary!" Artemis slammed her fist on the table. "There is no risk! My Seekers are fine. We can get in and get out without anyone noticing us."

"There's more." Orion said before she got to out of hand. "There is a rumor going around that Megatron will be visiting Starscream up at the station soon."

"Even more reason to go and investigate." She insisted.

"I'm sorry." Orion began. "But it is too risky. You will not leave Iacon." Artemis paused, taking in the in the order. She lowered her head, not saying anything.

"Yes, Optimus. I understand." She had never used the name with him before. Orion wasn't sure how to take it. She immediately left, not saying another word.

**Artemis POV**

"ShadowVolt, is this everyone?" I asked him, looking around at the small group of Seekers I asked him to gather up.

"Yes, all of them able and ready." ShadowVolt answered, standing firmly. "Uh." He pointed behind me and I turned to see what he was gesturing at. Optimus. I walked over to him, hoping he didn't know what I was doing.

"Don't." He immediately said. I lowered my head and looked away from him. "You're injured, this is too dangerous."

"If I don't go, the Autobots will lose this war." I looked up at him, my face solemn.

"Going doesn't guarantee we will win." Optimus put his hand on my shoulder. "The odds aren't in your favor."

"They've never been. Ever. And yet, I'm still here." I said sternly. He looked at me for a long time. "Wouldn't you give anything if it meant that Cybertron would be safe?" Optimus flinched before nodding.

"Be careful." He finally said.

"Yes, sir." I muttered before turning to my Seekers. "We remain unseen! Stay in pairs, report anything you find." I watched them take off towards the station. I stopped ShadowVolt before he could. "You're with me." I transformed and rose into the sky. Everything was fine, until I felt something tailing us.

**Hall of Records**

"Are you sure?!" Orion asked the scout reporting in.

"Yes, she left not too long ago." The scout repeated. Orion slammed his fist against the table.

"Try and contact her." He ordered Ironhide. Ironhide immediately stood up and went to the computer in order to try and gain communications with Artemis. Orion turned and Optimus and the others walk in. "Artemis took off for the station."

"By herself?" Sam asked, frowning a bit. Artemis did sound very mad when she explained that Orion was letting her investigate, but was she stupid enough to go alone.

"No, she took a small group of Seekers with her." Orion stared at the table. He dented it.

"Then what's the problem? Let her investigate." Bulkhead groaned, not knowing the big deal.

"No! Megatron will be there!" Orion raised his voice ever so slightly. Everyone's faces went pale. Artemis never mentioned that they knew Megatron would be there. Optimus looked scared and guilty. He had let her go without knowing.

"She won't answer." Ironhide said, slamming his fist on the keyboard. Drexel stepped forward. It was only then that they realized his chest plate was missing. He connected with the computer and, in seconds, the computer lit up with a video feed of Artemis and ShadowVolt flying.

"You tailed her?" Arcee asked, raising a brow.

"'Suspicious.'" Drexel's vocalized a piece of an old com-link conversation.

"She's almost to the station." Orion was shaking. All they could do was watch.

**Trypticon Station**

Artemis landed and immediately transformed into Solstice, pinning herself closely to the wall. ShadowVolt followed her lead, clinging to the wall. She looked at him, seeing if he thought they were seen. He shook his head slightly and she nodded back. She smirked and looked up. The floating bird landed next to her, staring, not once moving its gaze. Artemis shook her head and smiled.

"Drexel, you sly fox. When did you get another one?" The bird was silent, but she knew he was probably laughing to himself at her. "Okay, you can come, but I can't have you dragging behind." At that moment, the bird transformed into the chest plate. She mounted the plate on her back, with the lack of any other place to put it. She heard a whisper through her com-link.

"Artemis, Megatron is here, but it seems Starscream is else were." One of her Seekers reported.

"Thank you, keep me posted. ShadowVolt and I are going in. Remain outside." She noticed ShadowVolt's mouth drop and begin to shake his head furiously. She grabbed his servo and tugged him into the station.

The first hall had no guards, but she could hear them approaching. Artemis lowered her red visor and allowed it to show her different variables. She rushed forward, allowing ShadowVolt to follow at a pace he felt comfortable with. The visor told her when it sensed approaching guards and how to escape from them, a neat little device indeed. Solus knew how to accessorize.

"The guards are getting heavier. We must be getting close to the laboratory." Artemis found an open door. She gestured for ShadowVolt to stay behind as she peeked in. She saw Shockwave, reviewing data on his pad. However, that was not what made her gasp. What she saw was in the middle of the lab, behind thick glass, was shards of Dark Energon.

They were small amounts, Dark Energon was such in short supply, but this was what Artemis was afraid of. She remembered that it was Starscream who located Dark Energon on this station. Megatron would use it to taint the planets core in an attempt to create more. He succeeded in their dimension; she couldn't allow him to in this one. She was glad that the bird was on her back. It wouldn't be able to see what she was seeing now. If they did, they would no doubt be trying furiously to contact her.

Artemis wasn't done however. She needed to find out where Megatron was before she started any advanced towards the destruction of those shards. She snuck passed the door then gestured ShadowVolt to follow. He rushed over and followed her down more corridors. She never lost track of how to get back to the laboratory when she was finished though.

They found themselves in another lab soon enough. It was empty, but seemed to have been used recently. The bird dismounted itself and floated around the room. What was Drexel thinking? Oh, well. It didn't matter. The room seemed to be avoided, so no one must have been allowed in there at the time.

"ShadowVolt, check the database with Drexel's minicon. I'll look through the room." She watched him walk over to the computer. Though he wasn't able to do much, the bird was already plugged in. She began opening the many closets in the room. Artemis opened the last one, farthest from the door and gasped.

Seekers, at least a dozen of them, were cuffed, braced, and gagged, crawling up at the far side of the closet. She stepped closer and looked over their faces. They were Starscream's Seekers. Though, she had no idea why they were tied up in a closet. She called ShadowVolt over and he too was surprised. She reached over and ungagged one of the bots.

"What happened to you?" Artemis asked plainly, not getting too close to the bot. Any Seeker of Starscream's was a trickster at spark.

"Megatron…he came while Starscream was gone and took over the station. He ordered us cuffed and gaged. They threw us in here, waiting for Starscream's return to the station." The Seeker was shaky and his optics showed fear. "I-I think they're going to kill us."

Artemis looked over the faces again. Starscream's lieutenants were not among them. These were just scared Seekers, following orders. She looked back down at him and found no sense of treachery in his optics. She turned to ShadowVolt before stepping back. She ordered them all ungagged, but didn't allow the cuffs or wing braces to be removes.

"Seekers, I sympathize your situation and fear that you will be slaughtered by the hands of your own. I rather not allow innocent sparks to be sacrificed. However, I do not have the man power in order to transport you to Iacon's prison to all of those who still wish to remain loyal to the Decepticons. So, I am offering you a deal." She noticed all the faces were still and their audio receptors listening intently. "Leave the Decepticons, join the Autobot cause. We will protect you."

"What's to stop you from putting us in jail when we get to Iacon? What to stop you from slaughtering us on your own?" One of them asked.

"I believe all sentient beings are capable of change. If you pledge your sparks to the Autobot cause, I will trust you." Artemis saw one of them stand shakily.

"We are Starscream's Seekers. Yet you trust us?" This Seeker had a sly grin on his face, but it was all an act. He still had fear in his eyes.

"ALL sentient beings are capable of change…Starscream's Seekers or not. You are all just Cybertronians in my optics." Artemis waited a bit longer. Suddenly, one with a frail frame stepped forward and fell to their knees before her. She immediately un-cuffed the Seeker and allowed him to walk out. More stepped forward and all were un-cuffed. Another stoop up, but pressed himself against the wall.

"I'd rather rot than be an Autobot." He growled.

"I respect your decision." Artemis answered back and with that, the rest also denied the offer. She stepped out of the closet. "I'm sorry; I cannot free you without you all putting my mission in danger." With that, ShadowVolt went in and replaced all of their gags. She felt sorry for them. There was nothing more she could do.

"What do we do now? We can't just be walking around with all these guys." ShadowVolt brought up.

"I know. That's why you are going to bring them back to Iacon." Artemis waved for the bird to come back to her side.

"What? What happened to stay in pairs?"

"Meet with the others and all of you go back to Iacon. Make sure they Seekers are tended to." She put her servo on one of their backs. He looked very weak.

"I meant you." He folded his arms.

"I have Drexel with me." She smiled at the bird that came and landed on her arm.

"Artemis."

"ShadowVolt, that's an order. Now, go. I don't want you around for what I'm about to do next." She headed toward the door leading back out to the hall.

"And what would that be?" ShadowVolt raised his brow at her. She took a capsule from her belt and held it up to her face.

"I'm going to blow this place sky high."

**Artemis POV**

I rushed through the halls as the alarm sounded loudly. ShadowVolt blasted a hole in the wall in order to escape with the injured Seeker. I hope I was right in leaving my Seekers with them. I hoped I could trust them. I ducked into halls, clung to the ceiling for every guard that rushed by.

I had to take the long way around in order to get back to the laboratory. When I did get back however, Shockwave was still there. He seemed un-phased by the alarm. As if his work was far more important than anything else that was going on. He did seem aware of it though. A little stiff, he kept his body ready for any sudden movements. If I wanted to get at the Dark Energon, I needed to take care of him first.

The bird flew off me and hovered just over Shockwave's head. The scientist immediately flinches and looked up at it. He looked confused as the bird ducked behind some containers. He called out Laserbeak's and approached the containers. He thought it was Soundwave, perfect. I inched towards him, not wanting to make any sudden movements.

I approached him and he turned almost immediately. In the rush of the moment, I swung my arm in which he caught. Using the leverage, I jumped and used both my legs to kick him into the wall behind him. He aimed his blaster at me, but I managed to get close enough to him that he couldn't get a shot. I punched him in his middle, causing him to lean forward far enough for me to plug in Solstice's cord into the back of his head. He went into system shut down.

I let out a soft sigh before unplugging and looking over at the Dark Energon. I picked up the bird and mounted it on my back before stepping towards the controls. As soon as I opened the container, my energy seemed to drain. I gasped for I forgot how much the Dark Energon would affect me. Regardless, I took the grenade off my belt and reached in to place it among the pile of Energon then immediately closed it.

I set the time for two minutes, that's all it would take for me to get out of the building even if it didn't get me fully out of the blasting radius. However, I didn't plan on turning right into Megatron as soon as I left the room. I looked up at him, my optics wide. I knew I was in deep scrap.

"Not very wise to pull a stunt like that with me on board." He grinned down at me. I saw his eyes and knew that he had been getting rather close with the Dark Energon. No wonder he had such immunity to it back in our dimension. I backed up, but he stepped with me.

"Had to try something Megatron." I looked down one hall. He must have known what I was thinking because he reached out and grabbed my neck. I struggled in his grip; I didn't have time to be jousting him right now. If I didn't get out now, who knows how much of me they'll be left after the explosion. "Sorry Megatron, but the clock is ticking and I don't want to be late."

I transformed into Phoenix and took off down the hall. I blasted a hole in the wall large enough for me to take off, but as soon as my wings stretched out into the open space, I heard the bomb go off and the roaring of the explosion. Scrap.

**Hall of Records**

Everyone gazed up at the screen, the grey fuzz was not a good sign. Drexel tried his best to get Razor Wing up and running again, but he deduced that the optic and audio receptors were damaged. They all heard the explosion; however they had no idea how close she was to it.

"We still read he life signal." Ironhide wished he could contact her.

"Jazz, go and welcome the incoming Seekers." Orion finally asked, letting Jazz walk out. "Ironhide, can you pinpoint her signal?"

"Yes, only a few clicks from the Seekers and gaining fast." Ironhide answered before pulling up the data full screen.

"Contact ShadowVolt, see if you can get him to hold till he has visual confirmation." Orion didn't wait for an answer, he was already walking outside. Sam stormed passed him and after staring at the dot representing Artemis on the screen, the others soon followed.

The sun was just beginning to rise outside. The Seekers that came in first looked exhausted and tattered. They groaned and moaned as the waiting medical bots swarmed them to get them to med bay. Those who were apart of Artemis' unit waited patiently for their leader, ShadowVolt was not among them. However, his figure could be seen coming in for a landing.

"Where's Artemis?" Jazz was the first to approach him.

"I waited for as long as I could. I strained my engines idling for so long. I didn't see her." ShadowVolt sighed and took a knee. MoonRay, who had been searching for him since they left earlier, came to embrace him.

"What's that?" Arcee pointed out a figure highlighted in the sun's rays. Sam squinted hard, trying to see a face in the severe light. She smiled and jumped in place.

"It's Artemis!" She ran towards her, hoping to meet up with Artemis.

"Something's not right." Arcee squinted trying to see something from such a distance. "She's coming in so steep."

"Sam!" Optimus shouted in which Sam responded by stopping. She looked back at him briefly before looking up at Artemis. Sam scrambled back as she came in for a crash landing. When the debris cleared Sam scrambled up to her feet.

"Artemis!" She ran over to her and Optimus and Orion followed. They peered down at her, now transformed back into her original bot mode.

"What on Cybertron." Jazz let the words slip out of his mouth when he saw not only the damage done to her by the explosion, but the large purple crystals lodged in the wounds.

"Dark Energon." Everyone looked up to find Alpha Trion, staring down at them with a worried look on his face. Artemis was out cold.


	39. Ch 39: Man Down

The Human Prime

Chapter 39: Man Down

Ratchet, who was previously working on Prowl's injuries before they came in with Artemis, sighed heavily from exhaustion. He wiped his servos clean and walked out into the hall. He was surprised on the amount of bots that crowed to hear the news. Out of all of them, Sam was the first to notice and approach him. Before she could say anything, he began to speak.

"I managed to repair her major injuries. Her life is no longer in danger, but she has yet to wake up." He looked up from Sam's face at the others.

"You've been working hard since you got here, maybe you should rest." Orion suggested. Ratchet nodded slightly and sat down on one of the waiting benches.

"What was that stuff? The purple stuff wedged in her armor." Jazz asked. He had visited frequently, running information from the Hall of Records to Orion, who insisted he waited at the hospital for Artemis before returning to his post.

"That was Dark Energon." Optimus informed his old friends. "A substance known to be the blood of Unicron, the anti-spark." Orion looked shocked and cradled his head in his servos.

"So that's why Artemis was so eager to investigate. If Megatron had the opportunity to use that stuff," He didn't finish his sentence. Orion was taking Artemis' injuries that hardest. While he was the one who ordered her to remain in Iacon, he felt directly responsible. Optimus, who felt it was more his doing, kept a level head for his counterparts sake.

"Either way, Artemis brought back some of the stuff and Siren is looking into it." Light continued, trying to make Orion feel better.

"You don't think Megatron has more of the stuff, do you?" ShadowVolt stood in front of his Seekers. He was waiting for the station Seekers' repairs to be finished.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but at least we have a sample to research if he does." Light looked over at Ratchet who was going back into the medical bay.

"Ratchet, can I help? I want to see Artemis." Sam stepped behind him.

"Sam, she's unconscious. She won't be able to hear you, and while her life isn't in danger at the moment. Her condition could fall any moment." He looked back at her big optics and sighed. "Don't touch anything." Sam and Ratchet went back in just as Prowl rushed in.

"Optimus, the Decepticons, they're attacking Dizeon." Prowl looked as confused as Orion did when he heard the news.

"That doesn't make any sense. What would they have to gain by taking Dizeon?" Orion frowned, but recovered from his daze. "Send Ironhide; tell him to take Artemis' unit with him." Prowl nodded before running out the door, Jazz following closely behind him. Orion hesitated, but Optimus put his hand on his shoulder.

"Go, there is nothing you can do here." Optimus told his younger counterpart. Orion nodded slowly before running after his generals. Arcee looked at Light and ShadowVolt who remained stationary.

"Aren't you going with them?" Arcee referred to Orion's order in sending Artemis' unit.

"Ironhide has his own second in command." Light mumbled.

"And we are still recovering from Crystal City and Trypticon station. Plus we need to wait for the Seekers we saved." ShadowVolt argued.

"Besides, we wouldn't leave Artemis behind." Light looked away from her. Bulkhead finally voiced a concern he had and tried to think over.

"Dizeon? I don't remember the Decepticons ever attacking Dizeon." Bulkhead said blankly. Optimus nodded slowly.

"Neither do I, Bulkhead." He turned back to the group before him, in which the numbers dwindled severely since Orion left. "Events have been altered. Since the Dark Energon has been severely depleted and Megatron is aware that we know, things must be playing out differently."

"What if his attack on Dizeon is a trick? To draw us away from his true objective." Arcee offered and Optimus nodded in agreement.

"Unfortunately, we do not know what his true objectives are."

"So what do we do?" Light answered, following along with the whole thing.

"We wait."

**Dizeon**

"Push them back! We can't allow the Decepticons to gain any more ground!" Ironhide shouted at his bots. They shot back at them, trying to regain the ground they had lost.

"Commander, they're not advancing." A blue and orange bot, a member of Artemis' unit, called back to him.

"What are they doing? Gaining all this ground only to lose it again?" Ironhide looked back at the waiting Seekers. He did not want to send them until he understood the situation, but perhaps they could shed light on the matter. "MoonRay!"

"Yes, sir?" MoonRay stepped forward, being the temporary leader of the Seeker unit.

"Take flight, fire at them with everything you got. We push them out of the city." Ironhide waited for her to nod before turning to the others. "ADVANCE! Whatever happens, DO NOT let them gain any more ground!"

Members of his unit quickly began to push forward. Those who were in Artemis' unit paused, looking confused. They had never fought straight up like this. Artemis was clever, came up with plans and strategy that always seemed to work in her favor. Never have they worked under someone who rushed without thinking like this. However, the style seemed to suit him. The Decepticons began to retreat a little at a time.

The Seekers which flew overhead, rained volley of blaster fire down on them whenever the other Autobots were rushing to catch up to their retreat. No resting, no breather, only attack after attack. Soon the Decepticons were forced outside of Dizeon and were fighting them in a much wider field.

"This doesn't make sense. They should be running back to Megatron by now. Why are they still fighting when they clearly lost Dizeon?" Ironhide took the opportunity to climb up on the rubble of a collapsed building. He looked over the Decepticon army and tilted his head. Their numbers were dwindling and there was no sign of aid.

"Commander Ironhide!" An unfamiliar voice rang out. He looked down at the scout. A look of fear was planted all over his face. "The Decepticons…they're closing in on our rear."

"They're trying to outflank us!" Ironhide was shocked that he only just connected the two incidents. He waved to the Seekers and directed them towards the rear. Perhaps they could pick off the approaching army's numbers. However, as soon as the Seekers turned, Decepticon Seekers belonging to Lord Megatron bombarded them with missile fire. Ironhide was stuck; he was going to have to fight.

**Hall of Records**

"I fixed Razor Wing, Drexel." Siren gave Drexel the mechanical bird, allowing him to replace it on his chest. In the background, Orion went over some complications with Jazz.

"'Dark Energon.'" Drexel copied from Alpha Trion's earlier dialog.

"Still analyzing. However the substance seems to be very aggressive. We're about to use it on test engines to see how it reacts." Siren brought his data pad closer to him.

"'Proceed with extreme caution.'" That piece sounded like it was something Optimus had said once.

"We will." Siren said before leaving. Drexel turned back to the generals who seemed to have pale faceplates.

"I can't get a hold of Ironhide." Jazz tried adjusting frequencies.

"The Decepticons probably jammed the signal. Keep trying." Orion leaned the unused controls. An emotional rollercoaster this was turning out to be. Drexel was about to assist when he heard someone enter the room. Alpha Trion placed a servo on the scout's shoulder. He never visited unless he found a grave prediction in the Covenant of Primus.

"Optimus." Alpha Trion announced his presence. Orion turned and frowned at his teacher. He immediately stepped out into the hall with him, walking down until they were in front of a window.

"Archivist?" Orion looked at his teacher's face. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"The Autobots will not win the war." Alpha Trion said these words without warning. It made Orion flitch. He wanted to clutch his chest. His spark was beginning to hurt. "As we speak, Megatron is sending his Decepticons down to the core in order to produce more Dark Energon."

"Then I will send units to intercept them." Orion's voice was level, even though he felt like shouting.

"It will not help. His actions will send Cybertron into oblivion. We must retreat if we wish to survive." Alpha Trion looked sad. He wished that there was a way to change the words of the Covenant, but he knew there was not.

Orion was silent. All this fighting and it all amounted to nothing. For some reason, he thought of Artemis. She warned him of the defeat that the Autobots had faced in her dimension. However, no matter how hard she fought, these events didn't change. At least, not entirely. Then he thought of Dizeon, how there was no calculated reason for them to be there. Now he saw that it was just another deception. One that they could not recover from.

"What do we do?"

**Cybertron's Core**

"I don't like the look of this." Skywarp, one of Starscream's trusted lieutenants mumbled. He clung to the walls as Starscream set up a lens. This would send the Dark Energon right up to the Trypticon Station.

"Quiet! Thundercracker, make the adjustments." Starscream moved so that Thundercracker, his second trusted lieutenant, could make the adjustments.

"The Dark Energon?" Thundercracker held up his servo in order to take the Energon and put it in the lens.

"Curse the stuff, its power is not worth the symptoms." Starscream growled as he felt the Dark Energon fueling his systems try to take over him. He would not let it; he was way too smart for that.

"Then stay off the stuff." Thundercracker said in a low voice.

"Hurry up! We are right under Iacon. The Autobots could be on us like scraplets any minute!" Skywarp said a little shakily.

"Done." Thundercracker turned on the lens and immediately its purple energy flushed past them towards the station.

"Lord Megatron, it is done." Starscream responded.

"Very good Starscream, perhaps you are not worthless after all." Megatron responded on the com-link. Starscream growled again. Oh, how he wished to strike Megatron down. However, that plan would have to go on hold for the moment.

**Optimus POV**

Orion looked up at the purple streak leading to the Trypticon station. I put my servo on his shoulder, but he didn't seem very comforted by the gesture. I felt my spark sinking. I don't know why I thought anything we did would make a difference. I don't know why I am surprised.

I looked up at the lights and frowned. Cybertron won't be able to recover from that. In that one action, Megatron had made Cybertron inhabitable. We would have to leave. However, I looked back at my soldiers and smiled. It wouldn't be so bad. We still survived. We would meet friends along the way that would help us. While we didn't win the war on Cybertron, I felt confident that we would win on earth.

My burst of delight faded quickly when I saw the returning troops from Dizeon. Their numbers had depleted drastically since when they first left. The wounded were incalculable. ShadowVolt, who had been behind me discussing with the others on how to fight back, stepped forward and gazed at the faces.

"MoonRay?" He called out softly into the crowd of soldiers that were now beginning to pass us on their way to the infirmary. "MoonRay?!" He shouted this time. He rushed out to them and began stopping those who passed by. ShadowVolt asked everyone if they had seen his sparkmate. Most of them were from Ironhide's so they didn't even know who he was inferring to. "Moon…Ray."

Ironhide was behind his troops. Now I understood why. In his arms, weak and getting weaker, was MoonRay. Her body damaged and torn. ShadowVolt immediately ran to him, tearing her from his arms. He knelt down so that her body could rest while he held her head up. She looked up at him, smiling slightly as Energon dripped from the side of her mouth.

"They outflanked us. We didn't stand a chance. Most of the Seekers did not make it." Ironhide said as Orion approached him. Orion and I stared at ShadowVolt's hunched figure.

"MoonRay, it'll be okay. Everything will be okay, we can fix you. SAM, GET RATCHET!" ShadowVolt called out behind him.

"Haha…silly. It's not that simple." MoonRay muttered through her lips forcibly. He shook his head violently.

"No, Ratchet can fix you! He will!"

"Shadow…it's time for me to become one…with the Allspark."

"No…no you can't." He brought his forehead to hers, tears dripping onto her faceplate "I need you." She let out a laugh, and brought a servo to his faceplate.

"Shhh, it's okay. You'll be okay. I'll…always be with you." She lowered her servo to his chest, feeling his spark beat.

"Don't go…please don't go." He muttered cuddling her closer to him. She brushed the back of his helm and closed her eyes.

"Promise me you'll find someone else. I don't want you to be alone." She felt him shake his head furiously, but she kept him from talking. "Take this part of me…with you." MoonRay clutched his servo, putting something in his hand with it. "I love you…Shadow...Volt."

The light glow from her exposed spark began to dim. He shook his head as it slowly went out. He brought her faceplate to his whispering for her to wake up. She didn't. He kissed her forehead, hoping that the action would bring her back. It didn't. His whole body began to shiver violently as he brought her body closer.

"ShadowVolt?" Sam inched forward, ready to place her hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, spark flew out from his fists.

"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY MEGATRON! YOU HEAR ME! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!" ShadowVolt screamed to the heavens, tears flowing down his faceplate. I heard Light whispering to me and I turned to face her.

"MoonRay, is she gone in your dimension too?" She whispered to me.

"Yes."

"Tell me…was he this upset when he found out?"

"He…he never knew…until recently. He…never saw her like this." She was silent for a while, taking in my words. Then she finally spoke.

"Frag this war."

**Artemis POV**

I didn't know what was happening. I woke up feeling like my spark was being ripped out. I shifted to my side so that I could slowly force myself up. I let my optics gaze around the room. It was filling up with wounded bots. I noticed one of them as my own. He wasn't a Seeker, so why was he hurt. I forced myself over to his bed. My words came out raspy and forced.

"What happened?" I asked him. His helm twitched towards me.

"Ironhide took us to Dizeon. It was a trap." He muttered before his systems let out a gasp. I went and turned up his substance intake, to ease the pain. "Thank you."

I inched towards the door, one of my legs dragging behind me. I was still fairly injured. I leaned my body against the wall as I walked. Ironhide had put my men in danger. Yet, I wasn't mad. Something else was on my mind. What was the ripping feeling in my spark? Why did I feel so horrible?

I managed to get outside, only to have to sit down on the side of the building. My body, it ached so badly. I could hear screaming and it wasn't long before I realized it was ShadowVolt's voice. I stood up and rushed as quickly as I could in that direction. I desperately wanted to know what happened what I was out. I stopped, not having the strength to go another step until I rested, and looked up at the sky. My jaw dropped.

"No." The ray of purple energy was unmistakable. It was Dark Energon, being reproduced and fed up to the Trypticon station. That's why my spark felt so painful, why my body felt like it was falling apart. Cybertron was dying, Primus was dying. I was dying.

I didn't need to worry; I knew that the effects wouldn't last long. Most likely, someone was already being sent to remove the Dark Energon from the core, but I tried so hard. I fought endlessly so that this exact event wouldn't happen. I failed. I fell to my knees and cradled my helm.

"Artemis!" I heard Sam and my helm jerked back. I looked at her and forced myself up. She embraced me gently, seeing I was weak. I looked at those behind her. ShadowVolt was noticeably upset. I looked at Optimus. His optics looked like my own. Defeated.

**Hall of Records**

Artemis watched the ray of Dark Energon dissipate. Orion finally got to the core and destroyed the last of the substance. Her body immediately felt better, the aches and pains already soothing. Her spark, however, felt the sting of failure. Now, just like in her dimension, the Autobots would have to abandon their home. There was no other way for them to survive.

"How are you feeling?" Alpha Trion came into the room where she was sitting.

"I don't feel like I'm going to throw up anymore, if that's what you mean." Artemis responded, walking away from the window and sitting down between Optimus and Sam.

"There was nothing you could have done." He whispered to her, gently as if anything could shatter her spark.

"There was something I didn't do, or something I did do that I shouldn't have. Either way, no point worrying about it now. We need to focus on what is happening now. Is the ark ready for take-off?" She asked, rubbing her side.

"Not yet, but soon." He answered.

"Then we'll buy you time. I have a feeling that we will be leaving soon, but we'll hold them off as long as we can." She replied.

"Hold who off? What are you thinking Artemis?" Arcee looked confused.

"I'm going to egg Megatron into a final battle. Just enough for him to attack Iacon and for the Autobots to get out." Artemis looked up at Alpha Trion. "Megatron won't ever see it coming."


	40. Ch 40: The Final Battle

The Human Prime

Chapter 40: Final Battle

"Artemis, what are you doing?" Ratchet crosses his arms, tilting his head a little. She waved her arms a little, directing the bots that carried large devices.

"We need to lure Megatron into a battle. The easiest way is to get him angry. Back when the war was first beginning, he bombed Six Lasers. I wasn't sure why he would do that. The only though that came to mind is that it made him angry." Artemis explained as her followers set up the devices.

"So, what does that have to do with these things?" At that moment, the devices lit up bright colors into the sky.

"The lights from Six Lasers!" Sam exclaimed, watching the lights shoot up into the sky.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Artemis?" Light said, looking up at the sky. "This is a big slap in the face to Megatron."

"That's the point. Get him as angry as possible, make him make stupid mistakes." Artemis let out a sigh and held her side. She still wasn't a hundred percent. Optimus took her arm, supporting her.

"You're rushing things. Why are you rushing things?" Light looked over their faces.

"Time is running out, Light. This isn't rushing. This is it. Our last stand." Artemis frowned. "Drexel, monitor Decepticon movement, let me know when his forces start moving out of the Bad Lands." Drexel nodded before heading towards the Hall. "Light, I need you to check up on ShadowVolt for me. See how he is recovering."

"Yes mam." Light bowed before running off.

"Artemis." She turned around to see Orion, finally back from his journey to the core.

**Artemis POV**

It had been so long since I looked up at the stars. It seemed like forever ago since Orion and I had stood beside each other on the observation deck. So close, too close. We stood together, arms pressed against each other, looking up at the sky. However, the whole feeling was drowned by the war.

"Artemis…" Orion whispered. My optics drifted over his faceplate, his eyes still aimed in the sky. "When the portal opens, will you be going back to your dimension?"

"I have to." I whispered back, my eyes drifting down to where his arms were folded over the banister.

"Do you?" He tilted his head so his helm rested on top of hers.

"I should." I moved one of my servos to loop around his own, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Do you want to?" He looked down at my face, this time I didn't look at him.

"I don't know." I could feel his spark pulsing. It didn't feel like Orion's, but like Optimus Prime's. He had finally got his Matrix of Leadership. This only meant one thing, which meant I had some work to do.

"Artemis." His voice drew me back. I looked up, finding something familiar being held up to my optics.

"That…you kept that?" I reached out for the charm.

"You told me to wait after the hearing to give it to you. I'm guessing this would be after the hearing. I just wasn't sure when would be a good time." He latched the charm on my chest, securely so not even a battle could shake it off.

"Come on, we better go check on Alpha Trion and his plans for the Ark. See how they're coming a-" His lips were gently on my own. It was soft, just like the first time. It was quick, but it still made me a little dazed. I felt him tugging me along, he must have said something, but I could recall what it was. Suddenly I found myself at the docking bay, just beginning to make out words.

"Artemis!" Alpha Trion snapped. My body jerked as I looked at him.

"Yes?" I asked, pretending like I had heard everything he had previously said.

"I asked if you would be ready. When it is time to launch the ark, will you be ready to defend it?" His face was concerned. I felt like he wanted to ask me something else too.

"Yes, in fact, I am going to gather my forces right now." I said, bluffing because I wasn't sure what my intentions were.

"I am going to stay here with Alpha Trion, to accelerate our efforts." Orion waited for me to nod before following his teacher to the hunk of metal that would soon be a ship. I looked closely at the vessel. It was so big. Would it be fast enough to get to the space bridge in Cybertron's orbit?

**Hall of Records**

"Autobots!" Artemis called out to them, calming the chatter. Optimus stood next to her, prepared to speak if somehow she would be unable to finish. "Autobots…I regret to inform you that Cybertron…is lost." The chatter rose again, mostly gasping and outraged shouts. "Megatron has poisoned its core and now, it is unable to sustain life as it heals. We must leave if we hope to survive."

"Where will we go?" Someone shouted.

"This is our home! I don't want to go!" Another shouted over.

"We have no choice! There is no future for you here." Artemis held no illusions of pairing herself up with them. As much as she sympathized with them, she would be going home soon, leaving them to scramble on their own. "Our ships will launch you into space where you may take refuge on planets with an Energon source."

"What if there is no such place?"

"There are! Cybertron once interacted with planets across the universe. There are planets out there that you can call home in the meantime." She waited for the crowd to settle before bringing up bad news. "My friends…while we have many ships in our possession, we….we do not have enough room for all of you."

"First you tell us we have to leave our home! Now you're condemning us to death!"

"NO!" She shouted back. "You will survive until we can move all of you. However, the Decepticons are coming. We must defend Iacon until our allies get out of Cybertron's orbit. So if you would, even though I don't expect you to…Will anyone volunteer to stay here and fight the Decepticons?"

There was a long silence. They just stared at Artemis. Some wondered if she was serious. Simply the way she asked seemed as if the whole speech was a joke. Some angrily and greedily glared at her. They wanted to live. Staying to fight the Decepticons with no chance of reinforcement was a suicide march. Finally, someone stepped out from the crowd.

"I'll stay and fight." Artemis looked down and was shocked to see the face. It was Light. "I will stay and fight alongside you."

"Me too!" ShadowVolt held his wounded side as he stepped next to Light. One by one, bots stepped forward for volunteer. Many stayed behind, but those volunteers were enough to fight off the Decepticons.

"'Decepticons approaching.'" The familiar vocalization of Drexel's recorder came from behind Artemis. She smiled.

"We're ready."

**Artemis POV**

"Everyone, get ready, we need to hit them with everything we got. We must not let them get to the ark and the others ships." I said directing my soldiers. I was sad to see most of the volunteers belonged to my army. Most of them would not make it. The worst part was that I couldn't even say goodbye. I walked towards my friends, gathering close.

"I feel it, the portal will open soon." Sam frowned, looking down.

"We'll probably have to leave during the skirmish." Ratchet looked down as well. He wouldn't be able to help any of the wounded. He would have to leave.

"There are a few things we have to do before we leave." I said. Optimus tapped my shoulder and I followed his digit to Light. She was waiting to speak with me, ShadowVolt at her side.

"You're going to leave soon?" Light whispered.

"Yes, eventually."

"It has been an honor serving with you, Artemis." Light bowed a little.

"The honor is all mine Light. You are a fine warrior." I said a slight smile on my face. "Take care of yourself when I'm gone. Maybe we'll meet again."

"I'll look forward to it." She stepped back, as if giving ShadowVolt the floor. He walked up to me and placed something in my hand. I looked at the disc in my hand and looked at him confused.

"Give this to the ShadowVolt in your dimension, would you? He'll have more use for it then I will." The way he said it made me gasp. Was he planning to die today? He waved his arms and smiled a little. "I'm going to stay with Light. She's horrible company, but it's something."

"Hey, watch it." Light snapped. She was about to leave, but I stopped her.

"Light, wait. Would you mind helping me with one more task?" I asked with my voice low. Light nodded slowly. "Stay with me during the fight. I'll tell you then."

I watched Light and ShadowVolt disappear into the crowd. I sighed, looking back at everyone. Optimus ushered my closer to them. We stood in a circle once again, listening to the commotion around us. Finally, after a moment of silence, Optimus spoke.

"Start saying your goodbyes. Be brief and broad. Report back here before they start marching to the front gates of Iacon." Optimus looked at me for a moment. By the time I looked up at him to meet his gaze, everyone had dispersed to find the friends they had made.

"I…I should go say goodbye to Orion." I finally whispered before turning.

"I'll go with you." Optimus followed me and all I can think of was _of course you will._ We walked to the docking bay slowly. I couldn't help, but wonder what he thought I would do. Wonder why he had to supervise my visit to Orion. Then again, after everything that happened, I couldn't disagree that I could use a chaperon.

When we finally got to the docking bay, the Ark was almost finished. It was beautiful. The glitter of gold that was taken from the broken buildings nearby shined in the lights of the hanger. What a glorious ship. I hoped that it would bring the Autobots to safety. Inside the ark, it was a mess. Bots rushed materials back and forth to where they were needed. With the Decepticons drawing nearer, they had to finish the ark quickly. I stopped one.

"Do you know where Or-…Optimus Prime is?" I asked the young bot, who nodded at me.

"He's in the command center."

"And Alpha Trion?" Optimus said before the bot left.

"Down the hall in the cargo bay." He didn't wait for me to question him. Optimus was already down the hall heading towards the cargo bay. I took my time figuring out what to say. When I did finally peek in the control center, he was alone, looking over the controls.

"This looks like a fine vessel." I finally said, coming up behind him. He didn't even look at me. "Whatever happens, I'm sure it can get you home." Finally he turned to look me in the optics.

"You here to say goodbye." Orion turned away from me again, pressing buttons.

"Are you going to say goodbye? Or are you going to pretend I'll never leave?" I regretted the words. They sounded so harsh and insensitive, like I wasn't having just as much trouble saying goodbye. He sighed and looked back. Then he smiled.

"I'm not worried…I know I'll take care of you." He turned his full body towards me. I could feel my face plate heating up.

"Optimus is not like you Orion. He doesn't have the same feelings as you do…towards me." I felt his servo on my cheek.

"I'm not so sure that's true. I guess first you'd have to leave in order to find out." He embraced my closely, and I clutched tightly. "Goodbye."

"Remember me Orion. And be safe." I felt the small kiss pressed on my lips and I felt like tearing.

"Only if you will."

"PREPARE TO START ENGINES!" Alpha Trion announced over the intercom. I stepped away from Orion. This was it. We needed to part ways. I didn't draw it out, I ran out of the room, needing to get off the ship before they started the engines. I stopped when the lights begin to flicker.

"That can't be good." I commented as the lights shut off around me. I saw nothing in the darkness, only waited for the lights to come back on. As I waited, I felt figures brush past me. No doubt bots were scrambling to fix the problem before liftoff. I stayed against the wall, not wanting to advance in the dark where I could easily damage something.

Warmth…that's what I felt when someone pinned me firmly against the wall. I hand held the back of my neck softly. Nothing seemed forceful and it all felt familiar. A soft kiss. A long soft kiss. I tried to make out some feature on the figure. I only saw the glow of blue optics. However, those optics were so familiar. Ocean-like in their depth. Suddenly, the warmth was gone. I stumbled in the darkness, looking for it, but when the lights finally came on there was no one in the hall with me.

"Orion?" I said out loud. Why was he making it so hard to say goodbye? I heard the hum of the engines prepping. I ran as fast I could and actually jumped down from the ship. I found Optimus down near the exit waiting for me. "Alpha Trion?"

"He wishes us the best."

"I'll miss him. He's as good of a teacher as you said." I stood next to him, peering back at the ship.

"THE DECEPTICONS ARE PRACTICALLY AT THE GATES OF IACON!" A soldier rushed up behind us. Neither of us turned to look at the scout.

"Well…that's out cue."

**Outside of Iacon**

They seemed to come out of nowhere. Even the Autobots were waiting for them; the Decepticons seemed to come in a never ending wave. They came from every direction. The heavier built bots stood in front, taking the strong blows in order to allow those who were quick and precise to strike back.

However, no matter how hard the Autobots attacked, the Decepticons beat them down harder. The sky was ablaze with blaster fire. The screams of fallen comrades filled the air. The Decepticons, ruthless in nature, slaughtered through the rows of Autobots. Still, the longer they spent trying to storm through Iacon, the less attention they spent on the skies.

Artemis picked up one of her wounded soldiers. She briefly looked up at the sky. The Ark had finally taken off, and with the Trypticon Station half blown-up, there was no way the Decepticons could shoot them down. As much as she wanted to stay and fight, maybe turn the tide of this battle, they needed to leave soon and there was still so much to do. She brought her fingers to her mouth plate and created a much distorted whistle. The gang immediately stopped their press on the Decepticons to find out what she wanted. She directed them away.

As they retreated back behind Iacon's walls, she led them into an underground passage way. There were some soldiers passing through, using it to maybe outflank the Decepticons, but they didn't ask why their general and her friends were there.

"Artemis, what are we doing? You should be directing the Autobots." Sam called out, struggling to walk next to her.

"I already told them to retreat once the Ark is out of Cybertron's atmosphere." Artemis stopped abruptly. "You feel it don't you? The portal that is going to take us home…it's almost here. We don't have much time. That being said, we have much to do before we go home."

"Like what?"

Artemis looked over at Light, who stayed close to her as she was instructed. She started walking again, not answering Sam's question. She would find out soon enough. The winding tunnels of old Cybertron went throughout the whole planet. They only really needed to be worried about being spotted when they were roaming the ones near Iacon, since every abled body Decepticon was trying to conquer the city.

Sneaking down below Kaon was actually suspiciously simple. The guards placed there were so caught up in hearing the news from the ranks in Iacon that they didn't even notice them slip in. It wasn't long before they were right below the jails of Kaon. These jails were simply the reworked arenas that were formed below the city.

Artemis was surprised. There were no more Autobots in the cells. No, they were all dead. Some of them were melted through with powerful acid. Only reminisces of them from the waist down could be salvaged in the piles of bodies. Megatron made sure that no one could release his prisoners while he was away.

It pained her to think about it, but perhaps she could still accomplish what she set out to do. Everyone stopped and the sight of the next corpse. A Prime, Sentinel Prime. His actions throughout the war were non-existent. He had been captured at the very beginning. All, but Artemis and Optimus wondered where he had been. It was surprising however that he was dead now, instead of trapped somewhere to be used for leverage.

"Sentinel." Light whispered, getting closer, but Artemis stopped her. Artemis kneeled down beside the fallen Prime and lifted his head from the ground.

"Rest in peace, Sentinel." Artemis slammed her fist in his chest, removing something before hoisting his body up, letting it lean on her shoulder. "Light, this is what I need you to do this for me." Light walked over to her confused before taking the body and holding it up. Artemis looked briefly at Optimus before continuing. "Please take Sentinel to the tomb of the Primes…he deserves a proper burial." Light didn't say anything for a long time. Finally she maneuvered herself so that she had a free arm. She brought her servo to her faceplate and kept it there in the saluting position.

"It's been an honor serving with you, Artemis." Light said, lowering her arm.

"Likewise, my friend…take care of yourself. Perhaps we'll meet again." Artemis watched Light turn and start walking. She briefly looked back at Artemis before she teleported away.

"Artemis…what's that in your hand?" Arcee didn't bother getting caught up in the sad moment. Artemis showed the object to them. Sam stopped; she knew exactly what it was.

"That's the pod, isn't it?" Sam said with a frown.

"Yup, the pod that'll send this," She took the Shard of the Matric from where she stored it in her chest. "To earth." Artemis had used this dimension's shard to gain an edge in the war, now it was time to send it to do its job.

"How are we going to be able to send it from here?" Ratchet went to examine the pod, but Artemis kept it away from him.

"This pod works like a teleporting system. After the shard goes it, it will travel through space faster than the speed of light. All I need to do is give it a destination." She knelt in order to prepare the pod. As everyone gathered and she began to set up the coordinates, Sam shouted.

"WAIT!"

"Hm?" Artemis looked up at Sam, so confused.

"What if…you don't send it? I mean, we've seen what happens if Mira never gets that spark…your happy. You could be happy, Artemis." Sam frowned, looking down. Now that they mentioned it, the Spark of Unicron could not take off without the shard; if Artemis didn't send it she could be happy. It was a troubling decision.

"Oh Sam," The pod jumped up into the air before it was gone. Sam was shocked. "I'm happy just the way things are now. I don't want any of this to change."

"…Artemis." Sam smiled, tearing a little.

"How touching." The distorted voice was dark and familiar. They all turned to find a large group of Decepticons behind them. Shockwave stood in front, staring at them.

"'Shockwave.'" Drexel vocalized and stood in front of Sam to protect her. Artemis tensed, holding up her fists. However, the crowd of Decepticons parted for the incoming figure. She was shocked to see that it was Megatron.

"But, you were fighting in Iacon." Artemis saw him smirk.

"Makeshift is quite convincing."

"No..." She should have realized sooner that it was false. Megatron turned to his scientist.

"Make sure these bots are terminated. I must go after Optimus." He started to walk away from us. Artemis ground her dental plates.

"Do you feel that?" Arcee said, holding herself.

"It feels like something's pulling at me." Sam said with a shudder.

"It must be the portal, but where is it?" Ratchet looked around. He couldn't find it. Artemis glared at Megatron's back. She couldn't let him just walk out. She activated her blaster, rushing forward. She took aim, aiming for the point between his shoulder blades. She was ready to take a shot when the pulling feeling completely overwhelmed her.

**Decepticon POV**

Shockwave scrambled, looking around. The Decepticons under his command began flooding the room and through the passage ways. He sighed before straightening himself. He looked back at Megatron. He was lucky that his master didn't have time to scold him. It couldn't be explained.

"They're gone."


	41. Ch 41: Mira's Journey

The Human Prime

Chapter 41: Mira's Journey

I groaned as I lifted myself off the ground. Everything hurt and my body felt like there were bees inside of it, all humming at once. I cursed as I stumbled to my feet and tried to figure out where I was. I found everything to look very familiar. I didn't know why, but knowing that just made me more upset.

"If I'm still on this planet, what in the pits did that space bridge do?" The desert was completely empty; luckily there was a road nearby to direct me towards the nearest town. Transforming into my nexus form and started driving. I wasn't surprised when I got to the town and realized it was Jasper.

After pulling into a back alley and transforming, I tried looking for indications of any kind. I needed to find something to tell me what the bridge malfunction did. I finally got my answer when I found a newspaper in the trash. The date on the paper I remembered well, it was the day after I killed my parents.

"So either I went back in time, or I'm in a different dimension." I said those words, but to me it really didn't matter. So many ideas came into my head. What damage I could do by meddling. I suppose to do that however, I would need to find…well myself.

I remembered what I did after I killed my parents. I smiled and peek through every alley and back road. I remember prancing around the town with a big smile on my face. Finally being free of my family and being able to live my life with a strong body had me giddy. I also remembered that I was planning on skipping town and go off to Fresno.

While I was searching, it began to rain. This I did not remember. It was sunny that day and yet it was raining. Something was not right. Something has already changed. I finally found myself. I found her curled up in a ball in the alley, crying.

The sight was… nauseating. She didn't even notice when I walked up to her. Crying, why was she…why was I crying? This was a time for celebration. Yet I was crying. I hit her leg with the edge of my boot. She stopped whimpering, but didn't look up at me.

"Hey, you…why are you crying?" My voice was indifferent, very flat.

"I…I did something bad." My younger self whispered. I let out an irritated sigh. Obviously this must have been another dimension for there was no way I was as weak as this.

"Pa-lease!" I groaned. "You did what you needed to do. You did what would make you stronger." My younger self raised her head to stare at me.

"W-what?"

"If you didn't kill them…if you just lived your life as you always have, they would have suffocated. You would have become nothing, but an empty shell." I bent down and smirked at her. "Artemis would have taken every last bit of your existence. But now, now you can surpass her."

"How did you-"

"Now you can live. On your own you can become stronger and kill anyone in your way. That's what you were meant to do." I grabbed her arm. "That's what this, wants you to do."

"Who are you?" My younger self looked up at me oddly, but I only smirked.

"Someone who is in the exact same position as you, only I never cried about it." I was about to snap at her for crying, but the sound a swirling energy interrupted me. I looked over my shoulder at the portal.

"What on earth?"

"Not exactly…if you find Megatron like I know you will, you'll find out." I said to her before walking towards the portal. "Make them all pay, little me!"

**Cybertron**

"Son of a glitch! Must traveling through dimensions be so painful?" Mira groaned before leaning forward. She found herself transformed into her basic Cybertronian form. Not only that, but that the area around her did not seem familiar. "Where the frag am I?"

She stood up and looked around, nothing seemed humanly familiar. However, in the deepest part of her mind, she remembered areas like this. Looking to the sky, it was obvious she wasn't on earth, especially with the beam of light beaming brightly into it. Mira looked for any landmarks she could recognize to lead her to the closest city, of course there was none.

"Great, First time on Cybertron and I get myself lost." Mira grumbled to herself before smiling. "Only one thing left to do." She jumped into the sky, transformed, and zoomed high into the sky. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere." The city she landed in was a small one. She didn't recognize it, but in her memory there were few places to recognize. She walked up to the nearest bot and stopped him. "Where am I?"

"Are you new or something?" The bot answered with a sneer.

"You're very observant. Now, where am I?" Mira said sarcastically. Her patience was beginning to run thin.

"You're in Kalis." The bot said with a sigh before walking off.

"Kalis?" Mira thought to herself. "Where the Primus is Kalis?" She groaned when she realized that finding this city didn't help at all. Instead of losing her temper, she decided to gather the facts. "It's obvious that I went back in time. Sometime before the war."

"Excuse me." She heard someone call out from behind her. "You're in the way of my cruising."

"Does it look like I-" She turned and her face almost beamed. Knockout, she found Knockout! Though, he was as annoying as he was when she first met him, but it still helped her out greatly. The red bot transformed into his bot form and folded his arms.

"Well someone woke up on the wrong side of the berth this morning." He smirked before getting ready to walk around her.

"Wait." She stopped him and smirked. "Hot rod, where you headed off to?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Knockout smirked and forced his arm out of hers.

"Thought you could use the company, someone other than yourself to say how nice you look." Mira folded her arms and turned away from him. "If I know you, there's nothing you love more in this world then your paint job."

"You don't know me."

"Do I?"

"…I'm listening." Knockout was the same as always. Mira walked with him to where he was headed. In the meantime, she explained everything. Where she was from, how she believed she got there, and her situation now. Needless to say, he believed Mira to be pretty pathetic at first. Though Mira made sure to correct his attitude with one threat to his paint job.

"So, I need a place to stay and someone to talk to. You okay with that K.O?" She mumbled.

"I suppose, just as long as you feed me more information about the future."

"No can do, Doc. I have to keep that information under lock and key until I can figure out if I'm in my dimension or not. However, I'm sure I have something to throw your way." She bluffed, she wasn't sure if she did have anything worth his while.

"Doc? How do you know I'm a doctor?"

"Why wouldn't I know?" Mira raised her brow at him. He looked around briefly before taking her into an alley and whispering to her.

"I'm not really a certified doctor. I see patients that find me when they have no one else to go to. That and well," He smirked and transformed his hand into a saw. "Special autopsy requests."

"I knew there was no way you got you medical license!" She exclaimed before he smacked his hand over her mouth.

"License?" He said in sort of a delayed reaction.

"An earth term, don't really know how to translate that into Cybertronian terms." She looked around and found there to be a door in the alley. "Where are we going?"

"To my lab of course."

"My mad scientist had his own lab to play in. How cute." Mira smirked.

"Are you always like this?" Knockout groaned.

"Only to you my friend." She walks over to a setup of glass lab equipment and taps on them, curious about their contents. She began tracing her servo across the surface of the table when she bumped into something. "Hm?" Mira's mouth dropped open.

"Breakdown!" Knockout walked over to the big lug that was face down on the table, seeming to be in recharge. "Breakdown, wake up." Knockout shook his friend violently until the bot stirred.

"Knockout?" He stood up and rubbed his optics. "Nothing happened."

"How do you know? You were asleep. You were supposed to watch the lab." Knockout sighed before going back to his work.

"I'm a laborer, not a guard. Give me a break Knockout." Breakdown sighed before looking at Mira. "Who's this?"

"Mira." She answered and frowned. He really did surprise her. Had it been that long since his death?

"She's from the future." Knockout said sarcastically with a smirk.

"I AM from the future, whether you believe me or not K.O." Mira growled and walked around Breakdown, not leaving his optics. "Primus, I have forgotten."

"Forgot what?" Breakdown raised his brow in confusion.

"Nothing, never mind." Mira turned her face away from him, not wanting to look at him anymore. Every panel of Breakdown's hide made her want to throw up. In her dimension, he was gone. She didn't know why, but that was starting to really affect her. "Knockout!"

"What?!" Knockout screamed back, feeling a bit annoyed.

"I demand you take us somewhere fun." Mira thought about it for a while. "I recall you told me that you used to know a fun little bar. Take me there."

"You're not the boss of me." He grumbled. To this, Mira went and grabbed his shoulder tightly.

"In the future, I am." She squeezed it tighter making him flinch. "And as long as I'm here, you will do what I say. Do you understand, K.O?"

"Y-yeah."

**Mira POV**

"This is the place?" I asked questionably. It was so small. There were hardly any bots there. The only thing that seemed interesting was the bartender who stacked cans of oil in front of his customers and allowed them to drink down the structure as they pleased. I sighed when Knockout nodded. "Then I guess I'll party like a wheel grinder." I took the moment to transform into my nexus form in which caused my two bots to drop their jaws. "Hurry up and find us a table!"

I followed them to a table and was horrified to find myself sitting between the two. I looked at Knockout who had found himself mesmerized by my frame. He always told me that he was an automobile enthusiast, but this was just ridiculous. I was positive that he found this form more to his liking, but it just made me want to transform back even more. I didn't though. I don't know why.

I then switched my gaze to Breakdown. He was staring at me too, but it was a different stare. It was a very confused look. Breakdown was always very slow; I didn't expect him to understand something as complex and ancient as the Spark of Unicron. However, I as I explained it to him, he seemed to nod in understanding. Was he smarter than I realized? No, no, I'm looking too far into things.

"I'll get drinks." Knockout finally said and I almost protested, almost. I don't know why, but I didn't want to be alone with Breakdown. There was an awkward silence between us. Finally I spoke.

"So you're a laborer." I almost coughed out.

"Most of the time." Breakdown shrugged.

"Most of the time?"

"I've been working as Knockout's assistant recently."

"You don't seem like the type to be a doctor."

"Doctor? No, I'm more into," Breakdown paused and thought about it for a second. "Detailing."

"Huh?"

"Knockout says I'm a first rate buffer."

"That's how you became his assistant? You buffed his chassis and he offered you a job?" I snapped unintentionally. This bot was qualified to fix Decepticons? How did he get passed Soundwave's thorough background checks?

"It sounds dirty when you say it!" Breakdown said in protest. Wait, did he think I was suggesting he was spooning with Knockout? I felt my face plate heat up at the thought.

"That is NOT what I meant! Oh Primus, no!" I put my servos over my audio receptors and tried to shake the image out of my head.

"Back, what are you guys talking about?" Knockout said with a smile, holding drinks in hand.

"NOTHING!" Breakdown and I shouted simultaneously.

"Okay, okay. Cool your engines." Knockout sighed and sat down. He stared staring at me again in which I placed my hand over his optics.

"Stop staring, it's rude." I took the can of high grade in my other servo and began drinking.

"I was just thinking. If you looked like THAT when we first met, I would have been much nicer to you." He smirked into my digits and I almost choked.

"Keep driving hotrod, this femme is walking home." I stood up immediately. I wasn't taking no sexual harassment from a second rate medic. I started to walk when he reached out and grabbed my servo.

"Come on, I was just teasing. I thought you wanted to have fun." His smirk bore into my Nero net. I bore my claws to him in which he backed away.

"Know your place medic. Or they'll find you in pieces in the gutter, got it?" I hissed and he nodded slowly. Reluctantly, I sat down again, finishing my drink.

"You're a tough one, I can respect that." Breakdown sipped down his high grade as if it were nothing. I looked up at him with sore optics.

"What do you know about respect, laborer?"

"I know that it's hard to get, but I'm working my way to it." He smirked and looked at me. "There's this gladiator named Megatronus. Word on the street is, he's gathering an army to take on the High Council, and when that day comes, I'm hopping on the bandwagon." He nodded to himself. "I'm not going to crawl around in this slump of a city anymore. I'm going to fight and get the respect I deserve."

"You…have big dreams, big guy." I muttered. Something felt wet on my faceplate.

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean to make you cry."

"Huh?" I touched my face and frowned. I was crying, but why? What could possibly make me cry? Was it the high grade? Did something get in my optics? No, I know what it was. It was him. Breakdown, the big bolts for brains, he was speaking so highly. He doesn't even know that he's going to die. He'll never see that day. Damn it, why did I feel so scrappy? "I got to go. I'll find my way back to the lab."

I walked away from them, despite their protests. I hit my head on a nearby wall. I cursed at myself multiple times, telling myself to get it together. Decepticons do not feel sorrow, they don't cry or love. Breakdown was a soldier, a pawn in Megatron's master plan. It doesn't matter if he's dead or alive. Only that the Decepticon cause keeps moving forward; as long as the cause survives.

"If that's true, why am I still crying? Damn it!" I shouted. Breakdown was…he was….my friend. I was crying not at the loss of his strength, but at the loss of his spark. "I am still so weak." I growled at myself.

"If you are weak then you must fight harder until you are strong!" A voice boomed behind me. My optics shot open and I turned defensively. I was shocked to find Megatron himself, standing before me. I got down to my knees and bowed my head.

"Lord Megatron!" I said in surprise.

"Lord Megatron?" He tilted his head at me. I had forgotten that his name and his status had yet to be granted to him. "Rise and explain yourself."

"My Lord...I am from the future." I began, a smirk growing on my face. "Where you are the ruler of a mighty army that strikes fear into your enemies, where you strive toward a worthy cause, and hunt those who oppose you." I stretched out my servos. "Megatron, the name that will be heard through the galaxies as the mighty Prime of the new age of Cybertron."

"Megatron, it has a nice ring to it, but I am known as Megatronus. That is the name I am known by here and I will keep it for as long as they refer to me as that." He smirked at me and I could tell my words had interest to him. "What you say only proves that the future I fight for is in reach, but what news do you bring that I do not know, time traveler."

"I offer you this," I thought for a long time. What information could I give that would interest him. Anything really would do, but this was his Lord, surely it had to be something magnificent. "I offer you." Yes, that was it. "I offer the knowledge of a substance that was said to be myth. I advise you to seek out Dark Energon."

"Dark Energon?" Megatronus began laughing. "Why would I bother looking for something so rare that it's practically fictional?"

"Because I say it is real, and it will be a key role in your victory against your foes." I watched him ponder for a while before nodding.

"Very well femme, I will take your advice into consideration." He turned away from me and began walking. "I must go now."

I was about to go after him when the whirring sound of the portal stopped me. I suppose there was nothing more I could give to my future leader now. Though, I wasn't worried. I knew that no matter if he took my advice or not, that he would find the dark substance and become one with it. I was after all from the future.

**Cybertron**

Mira fell through the sky cursing. When was she going to get home? It was obvious that this still wasn't home. Mostly from the flying Seekers around her that shot endlessly at each other. Transforming back into her original form, she flew among the chaos and tried to blend in neutrally. By the looks of things, she was witnessing the final battle on Cybertron.

"This is utter chaos." She muttered to herself before landing on the ground, far from the ruckus. She was just in time to watch her sister go underground. "Artemis? She's here!" The rage built up inside her, lusting to attempt to snuff out her spark. It was at that moment that and idea lit up her brain. "Of course, why bother going after her, when I can turn the odds further back in my favor back in our dimension?"

Mira looked around and found everyone preoccupied in the fight. The Hall of Records was completely open.

**Mira POV**

I sneaked around the Hall looking for some sign. Surely there was something in this place to steal. At least the relics like the ones from their dimension must still be stored here. I stared down into the every nook and cranny when I heard muttering. I followed the sound until I found a study.

"Well, well, I found a librarian." I peeked into the study and found it to be more than a librarian. "Alpha Trion." I muttered the name of Unicron's enemy. One of the only living Primes left. What a treat it would be if I could slay him, but I knew that wasn't possible. I wasn't even sure how I managed to sneak up on him. Then I saw it.

The Spark of Unicron was sitting right behind him on his desk. It looked like he was preparing the pod to send it off. What if I had two? No, what if the Decepticons had two? They could finally slay Artemis once and for all. Yes, the risk was definitely worth it. Looking at the old bot, there was no way that he could move as quickly as I could.

"I can get it." I reassured myself. "I will get it." I jolted forward just as he turned around and grabbed it in my claws.

"What are you- What do you think you're doing!?" Alpha Trion screamed.

"What does it look like you rust bucket?" I smirked and transformed into a jet. He reached out for my thrusters, but I took off with too much speed. "LONG LIVE MEGATRON!"

**Testing Facility**

"Um, is that supposed to happen?" Wheeljack pointed to the space bridge which activated itself.

"Maybe it's them trying to get back." ShadowVolt ran to the controls and tried to decipher them. "Man, I knew Ratchet shouldn't have gone. What do these readings mean?" Bumblebee buzzed, warning them that something was ready to come out.

As a precaution, they all raised their blasters to the portal. It was a good thing too. The bot that flew out of the space bridge was no friend of theirs. Mira kept flying, not stopping when she realized the Autobots were waiting for her. They blasted at her, trying to shoot her down from above their heads.

She transformed only for a second, skidding across the ground and taking the Omni Sword in her grasp. ShadowVolt cursed and tried to chase after her, but she shot back at him causing him to fly back. The other's kept shooting, but it was too late. She was already back into the air and flying down the hall to the exit.

"Scrap!" Wheeljack shouted, kicking spare parts across the floor.

"Well that could have gone better." ShadowVolt admitted. He turned and found the portal still open. "There still coming?" They all snapped back to attention, pointing there blasters at the space bridge. Bumblebee beeped, wondering who might come out. They couldn't take a risk at it being another Decepticon.

"Incoming!" Wheeljack shouted as the whirring became louder, signaling someone was coming through. At that moment, Sam came flying through the air. "Sam!" Wheeljack deactivated his blasters and ran to catch his human partner. He just managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Whew, nice catch Jackie." She smiled up at him. "I'm home!" Next came out Arcee, who also flew out of the portal. ShadowVolt deactivated his weapons and ran to catch her. He caught her with a slick smile, placing her on the ground gently.

"Does this mean I swept you off your feet?" ShadowVolt said teasingly. She smiled and shook her head. Drexel, who came out right after Arcee, ended up crashing right into ShadowVolt. The two groaned as they felt the full impact of Drexel's landing. ShadowVolt glared at Drexel for ruining his moment with Arcee.

Ratchet appearance out of the space bridge was less than graceful, his chassis skidding across the floor with a loud screech. When he finally stopped he groaned and let out a heavy sigh. Bumblebee offered him a servo up. Optimus and Artemis were last, Optimus crashing against the back wall with Artemis soon falling on top of him. He groaned and opened his optics to her body sprawled over his lap. She coughed roughly before moving off him.

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked watching her carefully.

"I've had better landings." Artemis said simply before brushing the back of her head with her digits. She watched the space bridge deactivate then looked over the faces of the bots they left behind. "So, what we miss?"

**The Nemesis**

"Lord Megatron, I have returned." Mira bowed before her master.

"I am glad to see you have returned. With the Omni Sword more or less." Megatron smirked at his disciple then noticed she was smiling.

"I offer you a greater gift then the Omni Sword my master."

"And what would that be?"

"The power to use it." Mira held up her servo, revealing the Spark of Unicron she stole from the alternate dimension. Megatron smirked and took the plate in his digits.

"The power of tainted Primes, in grasp at last."


	42. Ch 42: Lost and Found

The Human Prime

Chapter 42: Lost and Found

"So Mira got away with the Omni Sword?" Artemis let Ratchet examine her for damage, as he did for all the bots getting back from their dimension hopping.

"Sorry, Artemis, we know you were counting on us." ShadowVolt muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"What matters is that we all got back safely and that you all were not injured during our absence." Optimus intervened into their conversation. Artemis' head jerked as she reached down into her plating and pulled out the disc the other dimension ShadowVolt had given her.

"Shadow, this is for you, from your other half." She handed him the disc and for a second, ShadowVolt was confused. However as he maneuvered it in his hand, his optics grew wide.

"But this is…MoonRay." A sad smile inched onto his face. Almost immediately afterward, he began opening up his chest plate in order to insert it into his systems. He did make sure, however, to turn himself away before exposing his inner workings. The others tilted their head in confusion.

"What is it?" Arcee questioned, crossing her arms. ShadowVolt closed himself up before turning to Arcee with a brighter smile on his face, one of almost amusement.

He stepped forward, getting closer and closer to her. She thought he was going to purposely run into her before he just passed through her like a ghost. The others stood in utter amazement, their mouths agape, as hooked his arms around Arcee from behind. Artemis, who was a little surprised, gave a sudden look of realization.

"It's MoonRay's phase drive, isn't it?" Artemis said with a smile. ShadowVolt merely nodded and placed his hand over his spark.

"MoonRay had this power to phase through object at will. A rare gift for even Cybertronians to obtain after coming out of the Well of Allsparks. It was this special power that inspired scientists in the war to create the phase shifter. That disk…that gift must have been what contained that ability." He explained. "She's with me now."

"Oh ShadowVolt," She stood up after Ratchet okayed her to walk around and started towards the back of the base. "She never left you."

**Artemis POV**

I looked out into the night sky, a million things firing off in my brain at once. The most important thought I had being that I still had a mission to do. That message given to me by the Star Saber, who knows if I was too late to answer it. Perhaps it was too late, but I could still perform the task it had given me.

Then there was that disturbing thought in my mind. That thought that toyed with me and threatened to take hold of my entire being. Who was it that kissed me back on Cybertron? Those blue optics that pierced into my very spark, they were familiar, weren't they? My body shivered as I recalled those very optics.

"Are you cold?" I couldn't help but jump at Optimus' voice. He walked up next to me, gazing up to where I was looking only moments ago. "Do you miss it?"

"Cybertron? Yes, but it's nice to be in our own dimension again, where things make a little more sense." I nodded to myself, but still stared intently at Optimus' face. "Do you?"

"Always, but I have high hopes that I will one day return to my Cybertron." His optics shifted toward me in which I looked quickly away. "Do you have something on your mind, Artemis?"

"Don't I always? But enough of that for now, I'd rather just enjoy the stars for a while." I said quickly. I expected him to try and drag what I was thinking about out of me, to get it off my chest. Instead he remained silent and looked back up at the stars.

We stood there in perfect silence. However, I found myself looking at Optimus more than I was looking at the stars. Then my gaze dropped down to his hand. I had to remind myself that whatever relationship I had was with Orion, not Optimus. NOT our leader. Still I kept looking at our lonely hands. Wouldn't they fit perfectly inside one another, hand in hand? No, I can't think like that.

By the time I drew my optics back to the stars, I had a feeling Optimus knew I was staring at him. The silence was starting to become a little unnerving. Instead of enjoying the peaceful moment, I prayed for something to happen. I was shocked when something did, but something I wasn't at all expecting.

Optimus, without even making a sound, clasped my hand with his. His face not turning away from the stars, he gripped it tightly. Did he read my mind or could it be that he had the same urge? It was then, staring up at the stars pretending I didn't notice anything, that the owner of those familiar blue optics on Cybertron came to my head.

"Optimus?" I let the name slip from my lips. "It was y-?" My breath was taken from my again as he pulled me into him. He held me tightly and lowered his lips onto mine. I let myself sink into the soft kiss, losing myself in it for a moment until he drew away.

"I'm sorry." I was violently brought back to Earth at his words. "I've made this so confusing."

"What is this?" I asked. I wasn't sure. He was right. Everything was getting confusing.

"This is…nothing." He whispered and I felt my spark sink. "Please excuse me." He said before walking away from me. I wanted to turn and stop him, but I couldn't get myself to do it.

"Perhaps that's for the best." I said into the air. I was human. Despite the Shard of the Matrix, I was in fact human and he was a Cybertronian. It wouldn't be a good idea to have feelings for each other. But even so. "Why does my spark ache?"

**Morning**

"Ratchet! Optimus!" Sam screamed down to them. Ratchet groaned and held his helm tightly.

"What?!" Ratchet yelled up to her, pretty annoyed with her.

"She's gone!"

"Who?"

"Artemis!" Ratchet and Optimus looked at each other as Sam came down the elevator. As Ratchet walked over from where he stood in the medical bay to the computer, Optimus frowned and hoped that it wasn't because of him. "She left a note."

"Well what does it say?" Ratchet said impatiently.

"It says that she has something to do out in space and that she's going alone. She also says not to worry and that Drexel will be managing the space bridge until she returns." Sam paraphrased.

"Optimus?" He looked back at his leader. "Should we send ShadowVolt after her?" Optimus was silent for a long time before giving his answer.

"No. There was a reason for her building the space bridge in the first place. Perhaps achieving that initial purpose is all she is meaning to do. If that is the case, there is nothing we could do to assist her and it would be foolish to force her back. Let her go." He looked at the computer displaying Artemis' life signal. "We can monitor her condition from here and contact her if need be." Right as Optimus said that, an alarm went off.

"Is it Artemis?" Sam asked worriedly.

"No." Ratchet said surprised and began pressing a combination of buttons. "Something has just entered the Earth's atmosphere." He tried to get a visual of whatever had set off the alarm. The other Autobots, who heard the alarm, go off from their locations within the base, came running in in a panic.

"What is it?" Arcee said at the ready.

"I think…yes, there we are." He finally got a picture of the object from photos taken from a government satellite. "I believe it's an escape pod."

"Who's?" Bulkhead asked with a shrug. He had a point. It could be a Decepticon.

"I'm not sure. The picture is too blurry." Ratchet squinted, still trying to find some clue.

"We must take the risk; it could be an Autobot in distress." Optimus turned to the ground bridge. "Set the coordinates and prepare sick bay."

Ratchet did was he was told and prepared the ground bridge. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead all followed their leader out through the ground bridge. They couldn't help but to be in shock at the chilly air. Where ever they were, it was winter there and the snow was falling heavily. Optimus did not falter. He followed his friend's directions straight to where the pod would have landed. When they got there, however, they found the pod busted open.

"Well, they couldn't have gotten too far right?" Bulkhead suggested. "It probably just landed here not too long ago." Arcee walked past them to examine the pod.

"I'm not sure we want to go looking for them." Arcee wiped the burns from a Decepticon symbol placed on the pod. "What should we do?" Bumblebee buzzed softly, obviously making a suggestion.

"Bumblebee's right. The bot is probably wondering around here all alone. Bet we could sneak up on him and take him prisoner." Bulkhead brought his fist into his other servo.

"He has a point. I'm sure the bot would have vital Intel to share." She crossed her arms and looked at the broken, charred escape pod.

"Unfortunately, we lack the resources to hold a prisoner." Optimus reminded them in which they all mumbled and sighed. Their cloud of disappointment was lifted by the sound of trees shaking nearby.

"Speak of the Fallen." Bulkhead whispered before cocking his blaster. The others followed the soldier's lead and activated his own blaster. Bumblebee and Bulkhead approached the source of the sound cautiously. As they got closer, they could hear the charging of another blaster.

Finally the bot showed itself pointing its blasters at them. Bumblebee buzzed in surprise, but found his optics on a symbol on the bots chest. Apparently the new bot found a similar resemblance because before Bulkhead could shoot, he shouted.

"Friendly!" The bot called out, making Bulkhead flinch and stall his blaster. The Wrecker examined the bot for a second and finally found the Autobot symbol on his chest.

"What do you know, he is a friendly." Bulkhead transformed his hand back and stepped aside for the others to see. Optimus stepped forward from his defending position next to Arcee. He got a good look at the young bot. Red, white, and blue paint. He was just as tall as Bumblebee and seemed almost as young. The thing that really stood out to him was the symbol on the bots shoulders.

"What is your name, soldier?" Optimus asked as he got closer.

"Smokescreen, sir." Smokescreen said out of reflex, but when he realized who it was, he almost jumped out of his armor. "Y-you're Optimus Prime! He's Optimus Prime!" The other's groaned in response being all too familiar with the excitement of meeting the Prime.

"Now what? We can't just let him into the base." Bulkhead shrugged.

"It wouldn't be the first time an alley ended up being an imposter." Arcee crossed her arms remembering back when Wheeljack first arrived on Earth.

"Aw, come on. You can trust me." Smokescreen complained, frowning.

"Says the one who just came out of Decepticon Escape pod."

"Oh that's not fair. Give me a chance to explain. It's not what you think."

"Please Smokescreen." Optimus halted the conversation between Arcee and the newcomer. "Tell us your story. "

"Well," Smokescreen began as if it were a grand tale. "I was performing my duty as security detail in the Iacon Hall of Records."

"Wait!" Arcee stopped him right before he moved onto his next sentence. "You were a guard, at the Iacon Hall of Records?"

"Yeah it was my assignment after graduating from the Elite Guard." He explained in which Bumblebee buzzed in a way that resembled a whistle. "Yeah, but it wasn't more than a boot camp by the time I got there." Bulkhead rolled his optics, but Smokescreen continued without missing a beat. "I was a personal guard to Alpha Trion."

"The Master Archivist?" Optimus was shocked. What were the chances of meeting probably one of the last bots to see Alpha Trion?

"Yeah, the Big A ended up being quite a teacher. I mean at first it was pretty boring watching some moldy old mech, but he was…quite something." Smokescreen laughed a little. "I mean he was the one who suggested to Halogen of the High Council to make you a prime. But as I was saying, I found myself guarding Alpha Trion during the final days of the war. Iacon was just about to fall to the Decepticons when my lights went out. When I woke up I was on a Decepticon transporter. I managed to give a guard a slip and make into an escape pod. It must have been a long distance pod because it knocked me into stasis and the next thing I know I'm crashing down on this rock. "

Everyone listened to his story intently, trying to find any holes or anything that sounded suspicious. They weren't taking any chances in letting in an imposter. However, as they listened, they weren't sure what to think. Everything seemed to check out, but at the same time they weren't sure. They all turned to their leader in order to make the final decision.

"So what should we do?" Arcee asked her leader. Optimus stood silent for a while. Thinking about his options and eventually settling on a decision.

"Ratchet, open the ground bridge." He called to his friend and gestured Smokescreen towards the portal.

"That's it? That's all you need to know before welcoming him to the party?" She almost shouted, but managed to contain herself.

"If my mentor trusted him with this information, he must have believed Smokescreen to be a trusted ally." Optimus explained before following Smokescreen into the ground bridge.

Upon entering the base, Sam and Ratchet were waiting for the sight of new Autobot in which they heard through the com-link. In seeing Smokescreen, Sam immediately gave a bright smile and let her mouth begin spewing words forth. Smokescreen stepped back a bit once she began asking him so many questions that he could barely keep up.

"Did you knock Decepticon blocks off back on the transporter? How'd it feel to crash down through the Earth's atmosphere? Did it hurt? Did you see any Decepticons when you landed?" Sam continued with her barrage of questions. While she continued talking, Smokescreen whispered under his breath.

"Do all humans act like this?" Smokescreen looked over at Ratchet who shook his head but seemed a little bit distressed. It was obvious he was used to this on a day to day basis.

"Sam, calm down." Arcee managed to calm her down to one sentence at a time. Sam eventually stopped talking all together and smiled brightly at the bot.

"Smokescreen, it is paramount that you get accustomed to your new surroundings." Optimus began. "A tour of the base would be an excellent start."

"I'll do it!" Sam jumped up excitingly. Optimus, not seeing any problem with that, nodded to her. "Come on, I'll show you where we store the Energon." She slid down the ladder and practically skipped toward the back rooms. Smokescreen, smiling a little, followed her.

Optimus folded his arms and watched Ratchet go back to his computer. Ratchet seemed so exhausted from the commotion. He looked over to Arcee and Bulkhead who seemed still skeptical about their new recruit. Then there was Bumblebee who seemed indifferent, maybe a bit excited to have someone new in the base. He was never one to not give someone a chance. Finally he walked over to Ratchet, putting a servo on his shoulder.

"Ratchet, what is the likely hood of Smokescreen knowing anything about Alpha Trion's whereabouts?" Optimus watched Ratchet work until his friend finally answered.

"I'm not sure. According to his story, he was unconscious when Iacon fell. I don't think he would know much, but perhaps Alpha Trion shared some information with him." Ratchet paused and thought about his answer. "However I'm not so sure he would give that kind information away without thinking of the consequences."

"I agree. However, if there is any chance of finding my old teacher, I must take it." Optimus sighed. He wasn't sure how to bring it up.

**Back Rooms**

"And this is where we keep the relics we found here on Earth. Most of them came from Iacon. Look familiar?" Sam looked back at Smokescreen who peered into every room.

"Yeah, I remember these." He smiled and found one room quite interesting. "Who is she?"

"Oh," Sam stopped and turned, remembering the monster they kept in their store rooms. "That's Airachnid. She's…not friendly. That's all you really need to know." She frowned and continued her tour.

"Man that must be quite a story." He said kind of awkwardly. It wasn't long before Sam's smile returned to her face and she was back to skipping through the halls.

"You know now that you're here, you'll need someone to show you the ropes." She began looking back and forth between store rooms.

"What do you mean?"

"Well you can't just walk out of here all titanic!" She laughed and turned to face him. "You'll need a vehicle mode from this planet. Then you'll need driver's ed. Of course you'll need a face."

"Sounds like a lot of work." Smokescreen rubbed the back of his helm and sighed.

"It's okay. I'll be your partner until you know the ropes." She gave a small salute.

"Seems like a sound plan Sam." Both Smokescreen and Sam flinched and faces Optimus, surprised at his voice. Sam then gave him a nod and smiled. "Before you can go on missions, you'll need to learn the basic guidelines of living on this planet."

"Yes, sir." Smokescreen nodded and looked back at Sam. "I'm ready when you are teach'."

"Hold on, Smokescreen. I was hoping to discuss some things with you." Optimus found Smokescreen to know immediately what he wanted to discuss. Sam finding this conversation to be private said she needed to check on something and ran off. "Smokescreen, I was hoping you could tell me the whereabouts of Alpha Trion?"

"Sorry Optimus. The last time I saw him was before I got knocked out. Before, the Decepticons made it to the Hall of Records." Smokescreen looked down, feeling disappointed that he couldn't give Optimus anymore information.

"Did he give you any clues on where he could have gone after the skirmish?"

"No. Though there were plenty of escape pods and some of the other guards had ships in case Iacon would fall, I'm not sure he would have left Cybertron." Smokescreen's voice wavered a little. "I'm not sure he would have left the Hall of Records."

"I understand…thank you Smokescreen for providing this information."

"I'm sorry, Optimus. I wish I could have given you more."

"OPTIMUS!" Ratchet's voice boomed through the base. Optimus, quick to react, ran back to the main room, Smokescreen following behind.

"Ratchet, what is the alert?" He looked up at the computer and found a blinking light.

"The Decepticons have unearthed another relic." He was already pinpointing the location in order to set up the ground bridge.

"Autobots prepare to roll out." Optimus put a servo in front of Smokescreen when he tried to go towards the ground bridge. "You are not prepared to come along. Sam," He looked back at Sam who was sitting on the couch. "Go with him to acquire an Earth based vehicle mode."

"Yes sir!" Sam jumped up and waved Smokescreen to follow her.

"The rest of you, roll out!"

**Giza, Egypt**

"Curse this sand! It's beginning to corroding my undercarriage!" Knockout hissed.

"Come now, KO. It won't be long now." Mira smirked as she stood next to him. She looked over at Soundwave who held the fake relic signal.

"Mira!" Megatron bellowed in which Mira approached him, bowing her head.

"Yes lord Megatron?" Right as she said those words, a portal opened signaling the Autobot's arrival.

"Give me the Omni Saber." His force was firm and confident. She smiled at her master before dismounting the Omni Saber from her back and handing it to him. He mounted it on his own back. The Autobots funneled out of the portal.

"Well, well, look who it is. I knew you wheel grinders couldn't resist." Mira cracked her knuckles, but stopped when she did not see her sister. "HEY!" She shouted as the portal closed. "Where's my sister?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bulkhead shouted back. Optimus waved his hand in front of Bulkhead in order to signal him to calm down. He looked back at the Decepticons standing in front of him and found Soundwave holding a pod looking device.

"A false Iacon signal." Optimus looked over at Megatron and found the Omni Saber mounted on his back. Why would he carry it if he could not use it?

"Optimus, I'm here to offer you an opportunity to retrieve the Omni Saber from me." Megatron's grin was a little unnerving. "Come Optimus; let's see whose blade is more powerful."

At that moment, he drew the blade from behind his back. It reacted just as it had with Mira, glowing prominently. He pointed it at Optimus and beckoned him to come face him. Optimus could see a lust in his eyes. A lust for power that overcame him and consumed him whole. It was unlike Megatron to challenge him openly and with so little at stake. It was so random. There was nothing to gain from such exchange.

Megatron did not give Optimus a chance to respond. He was already on him. So much so that Optimus had to draw his Star Saber to counter him. Arcee and Bulkhead tried to assist, but Mira got in their way and when Bumblebee tried to help Knockout stopped him. Optimus thought hard. Why could Megatron use the Omni Sword after all this time?

Quickly, and almost instinctively, his eyes looked upon Mira. She went back into the other dimension. It would be easy for her to steal the Spark of Unicron from Cybertron and bring it back here. She was never one for boundaries to begin with. Now, Megatron has the ability to use Prime artifacts. Who knows what horror he would commit with it?

"Optimus!" Megatron bellowed and as soon as Optimus brought his optics back to Megatron's face, Megatron swung his saber. It clashed against the Star Saber so fiercely that it could not withstand the weight. Tragically, the Star Saber shattered.

"No…" Optimus watched the shards of the Star Saber fly through the air. Megatron's blade was about to come down on him again, but he managed to get out of the way. Mira, who held the other's off for quite some time, saw that Megatron had accomplished what he set out to do and took off into the sky.

The Autobots shot up at her in hopes to catch her before she got too far away, but they failed. Megatron, noticing a bridge opening to let Knockout back on the Nemesis, took off into the sky as well, feeling that there was not much more he could do. Everyone was prepared to chase after the Decepticons when Ratchet began over the com-link.

"Optimus, you must return to base."

"What's wrong, Ratchet?" Optimus responded, stopping himself from chasing after Megatron.

"We have a new problem."


End file.
